Under Armour names OMD global media AOR

OMD has won Under Armour’s global media account, spanning the Americas and EMEA, Campaign US has learned. 

The account was won in a five month pitch process that began in February. Publicis Media was the incumbent and defended the business.

According to the RFP, the remit encompasses $110 million in media spend in the U.S. and $36 million in EMEA, where core markets include France, Germany and the U.K. It covers both traditional and digital media planning and buying.

The business will be led by teams headquartered in New York and London.

“As we look to continue to take Under Armour to new heights, we are incredibly excited to partner with the OMD team. Their passion for Under Armour, the talent brought to the table and the approach that we plan to take together will continue to help the brand break-through in a big way,” said Dimitrija Georgiev, senior director, brand and acquisition media, Americas at Under Armour.

OMD’s appointment is part of a growth push from new Under Armour CEO Stephanie Linnartz, who joined the company in February. In May, she told investors that “growth is without a question our highest priority,” and mentioned women’s apparel, footwear, sport style and full-price stores as areas of opportunity, SGB Media reported.

Since joining she has implemented a “three-pronged strategy for growth” focused on brand, product and the North American market. She also sees an opportunity for Under Armour to be in the “most premium position” among athletic apparel brands in Europe, according to SGB Media.

Under Armour netted $5.9 billion in the fiscal year ending in March 2023, but results fell short of analyst expectations. North America made up roughly 65% of net revenues for the year, with EMEA, Asia Pacific and Latin America accounting for approximately 34%.

Last year, the brand brought on Zambezi as its global creative AOR.

“Under Armour has laid out a clear vision for realizing the brand’s full potential. As Under Armour’s media and transformation partner, our job will be to deliver on that vision by unlocking new pathways to growth with the speed, precision and imagination needed to assure that the brand is always a step ahead of the marketplace,” said George Manas, CEO of OMD Worldwide, in a statement.

Under Armour is the most recent global win for OMD. In December, the agency landed L’Oreal’s $1 billion global media account and snagged Burberry’s global media business. The agency ranked No. 1 for net new business and total billings in 2022, per COMvergence.

(This article first appeared on CampaignLive.com)