Under Armour SA (Apollo Brands Pty Ltd) on Saturday launched its first Brand House City Concept (BHCC) store in South Africa at the Mall of Africa.
The brand is re-imagining retail by reducing friction, driving convenience and providing consumers with an engaging shopping experience that tells a story and provides athletes with performance solutions they never knew they needed but can’t imagine living without.
With its strategic eye firmly on omni-channel experience and fulfilment, the new Mall of Africa store boasts a host of exciting digi-centric features with digital screens decked out throughout the store and RFID capabilities to elevate the shopping experience.
Over the years Under Armour has cemented its position as a leader in the sport performance market, dedicated to helping athletes, both pro and amateur, to continuously assess and improve their performance.
Under Armour recently completed a vigorous test-and-learn journey to evaluate its brand and how the consumer perceives the shopping experience in its brand houses globally. A crucial component of the exercise was answering the question of whether the brand was effectively communicating its purpose, ‘to make athletes better’, in its stores. What the brand found was that the move to digitization of stores would create a further facilitation to athletes in making better purchase decisions by understanding the technology and its benefits that can be found in all the Under Armour products.
Commenting on the new direction for the store, Managing Director at Under Armour SA Darren Cooke says, “With the focused performer as a key target consumer, it’s important that when they are investing in products to support their performance they get the best possible advice to ensure that they are making the correct choice for their needs.
“The Mall of Africa store was our first to open in SA in 2016 so it is fitting that it is the first of the new Global Concept to open its doors on the African continent.”
The brand has come a long way in SA since launching in 2016 and this is celebrated in the new store by the localisation of elements which include and celebrate the brands local and highly decorated athletes, including Tatjana Schoenmaker, Ntando Mahlangu and Kevin Lerena.
In attendance at the opening were personal trainers Phelo Mfini, Zinhle Masango, Sipho Masego and Tumi Sole who facilitated a 5km run and training circuit around Mall Of Africa for a large group of fitness enthusiasts.
"It is such an honour and privilege for me to be part of this Under Armour journey as we launch the new store. Under Armour continues to amaze me with all the product offering and how they include technology in it.” Sipho Marima, author of How Lockdown Unlocked my Potential.
IOL Sport