Eric Liedtke Joins Under Armour as Brand Strategy Executive Vice President
Industry expert Eric Liedtke has taken on a new role at Under Armour as Executive Vice President of Brand Strategy. This announcement overlaps with the acquisition of the zero-plastic regenerative fashion brand, Unless Collective, which Liedtke co-founded in 2020. The deal is likely to be finalized later this week.
In this new position, Liedtke will assume global responsibility for brand identity amplification and strategic planning for Under Armour. He will also execute transformative initiatives to boost the company’s growth. Additionally, Liedtke will continue his function as a leader at Unless Collective.
Liedtke will answer to Kevin Plank, president and CEO of Under Armour, and will control brand presence through category marketing, consumer intelligence, creative, marketing operations, loyalty, social media, sports marketing, and all strategic functions.
Kevin Plank notes that Liedtke’s prior experience will significantly benefit Under Armour’s brand strategy endeavor. Plank said, “Complementing our strengthened leadership team — Eric is a rare multi-disciplinary professional whose track record of consumer-centric growth will help drive our company’s evolution during this unique time,” adding, “I look forward to working with Eric in this important new role.”
Before his stint at Unless, Liedtke worked with the Adidas Group for 26 years, assuming multiple positions, including brand president and executive board member. As brand president, he led one of the most significant turnarounds through a five-year strategic plan that brought more than $8 billion in revenue growth. His strategies played a significant role in the introduction of the Boost footwear platform, Yeezy collaboration, and sustainability-driven Parley line, created from recycled ocean plastics.
Liedtke expressed his excitement in joining the team, saying, “Sports, inspiration, and culture bring people together, and I am honored by the opportunity to contribute to Under Armour’s long legacy as an iconic brand that connects across these dimensions,” and acknowledging “tremendous opportunity to elevate the brand, enable deeper loyalty, and drive growth among new and existing consumers.”
The announcement of Liedtke’s appointment comes as Kevin Plank seeks to rebuild the brand following a drop in sales. In its fourth-quarter earnings announcement in May, Under Armour announced a restructuring plan to manage the expected decline of 17 percent in North American sales. The revamp is said to cost between $70 million and $90 million, part of which will go toward employee severance and benefits, indicating possible lay-offs.
For the fourth quarter, Under Armour reported a net income of $6.5 million, a significant decrease from 170.6 million earnings the previous year. Under Armour refrained from commenting on the extent of the job cuts.