Olympics

Under Armour hoping to get gold with Vonn

By Liz Farmer
Daily Record Business Writer

The Under Armour logo won’t be visible when Lindsey Vonn skis during the Olympics. Vonn is the primary spokesperson for the company’s cold weather gear.

Even with its star athlete and cold weather gear spokeswoman’s readiness in question, Under Armour Inc. still expects to get noticed with one of its biggest sponsorship pushes ever in the Olympic Games, which kick off Friday in Vancouver.

Looking to boost its brand awareness, the Baltimore-based company has apparel deals with the men’s and women’s U.S. freestyle skiing teams, U.S. bobsled and skeleton teams and the Canadian curling teams.

But the company’s best-known — or at least most hyped — endorser is U.S. alpine skier Lindsey Vonn, a back-to-back World Cup champion, who many predict could be the Michael Phelps of these games, winning as many as five gold medals.

Marketers: For Phelps, after 2nd offense, saying ‘sorry’ isn’t good enough

LIZ FARMER
Daily Record Business Writer
February 2, 2009 6:12 PM

With Olympian Michael Phelps’ image in question, some sports marketers are criticizing what they say is the tepid way his management team has handled the situation and are warning that his endorsement deals with family-oriented brands may be in danger.

“Just saying you’re sorry isn’t good enough now,” Baltimore-based marketer David Warschawski said of the statement Phelps issued Sunday after a British tabloid published a photo of Phelps inhaling marijuana from a bong.

Phelps’ apology, issued by his management firm Octagon and published on his Facebook Web page, acknowledged he had “engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment” and said it would not happen again.

But since Sunday afternoon, Phelps and his team have stayed silent. That’s not a good move, said Warschawski, because it allows public speculation to continue.

“Part of crisis communications is owning it and being out in front of it — all they did was issue off a paltry and small statement that wasn’t that different from the first time around,” he said, referring to a statement Phelps issued in 2004 after he was charged with driving under the influence.