Under Armour: Made of Iron
Under Armour: Made of Iron isn’t your typical big-budget ad crafted by a major agency. Nope—this is a student-led project that proves enthusiasm and creativity can achieve amazing results, even with limited resources.
A while back, Junior, a student from the University of Maryland, reached out to me. He and his friends had created a concept ad for Under Armour, inspired by the idea that “iron sharpens iron.” The mastermind behind this ad is Jonathan Rosemond, so I encourage you to check him out and follow him on social media.
Their ad highlights how rivalries push athletes to grow and empower one another. As someone who’s written about rivalries as a driving force in sports since the early days of this blog, I couldn’t help but love the angle they chose. It’s a perfect fit for showing how competition fuels growth and inspiration.
They’re hoping to get it noticed by Under Armour’s creative and marketing team, so they asked me to provide my feedback and insights.
I gladly accepted, and I have to say—it was a blast to evaluate their project through the lens of the Ad-Meter I developed. Let’s dive in!
(Please note, this ad is a student project and not developed by major ad agencies.)
Ad-Meter Results
Note: The Ad-Meter is based on research about What Makes a Good Video Ad. The analysis is done with the help of a trained AI model.
| Category | Trait | Score (0–10) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attention | Hook | 6 | The opening lacks a strong element to immediately establish the rivalry theme, though visuals are compelling. |
| Aesthetics | 9 | Visually stunning with polished framing, editing, and design that convey intensity and focus. | |
| Pace | 7 | Pacing is decent but could be a bit faster to enhance the energy and excitement of the rivalry. | |
| Branding | Brand Presence | 7 | The Under Armour branding is visible but introduced late and could be tied more strongly to the rivalry. |
| Audio Reinforcement | 9 | Excellent sound design complements the visuals and amplifies the ad’s intensity. | |
| Catchphrases (Taglines) | 8 | “Iron Sharpens Iron” aligns well with the theme, reinforcing the brand’s messaging effectively. | |
| Connection | Storytelling | 7 | The rivalry theme isn’t immediately clear, though the training sequences are emotionally engaging. |
| Character | 7 | The athletes’ journeys are engaging but lack a deeper rivalry angle to fully connect. | |
| Message Alignment | 7 | The message supports the brand’s values, but the connection between the rivalry and Under Armour’s role needs more clarity. | |
| Direction | Call-to-Action (CTA) | 7 | The ad lacks a direct CTA, though it subtly emphasizes the importance of choosing Under Armour. |
| Unique Selling Point | 6 | The USP is present but underwhelming, with only a loose connection between the rivalry theme and the brand’s role. | |
| Extras | Iconic Moments | 6 | The ad misses iconic moments or fictional highlights that could elevate the rivalry theme. |
| Timing | 8 | Well-timed to align with Under Armour’s brand identity and its appeal to competitive athletes. |
AD-METER SCORE: Good.
Total Points: 92/130
Final Score (Percentage): 71%
Summary and Evaluation of Under Armour: Made of Iron
It’s always a treat when you can watch an ad and also dive into the creators’ thought process. It allows for a more objective evaluation of the concept and execution.
Focus on Rivalries: The central theme of this ad is rivalries—two athletes training for their big showdown, culminating in a race. However, before I learned that the final scene was a race, I initially thought the ad focused solely on training individually and together, with the message that training hard and with someone is how iron sharpens iron.
What could improve this? Making it more obvious that the athletes are preparing for their meetup. Perhaps a scene showing their previous races or a voiceover emphasizing the rivalry from the start could better establish this focus.
Attention & Hook: A stronger, more engaging hook would’ve made the rivalry aspect stand out. It’s missing that initial punch to immediately grab attention and set the tone. That said, I loved the aesthetics and pacing—Jonathan clearly has a sharp eye for capturing compelling visuals and editing effectively.
A faster pace could suit my taste better, and the setting in the first scene could use slight improvement. For example, editing and masking the background through the windows to hint at the rivalry theme could subtly tie it all together.
Branding: The Under Armour branding could’ve been introduced earlier, but its presence throughout is effective. The sound design is excellent, and the slogan aligns perfectly with the ad’s concept (idea)—how rivalries push athletes to excel.
Connection: The storytelling idea is strong, but as mentioned earlier, it could be executed more clearly. Personally, I struggled to grasp the rivalry focus at first. Maybe that’s just me, but one person’s confusion can often reflect that of a larger audience. A clearer rivalry angle would enhance the emotional connection with the characters.
That said, the training scenes do evoke emotion—they feel like intimate moments, drawing viewers into the athletes’ personal journeys. The message aligns well, but making the rivalry more explicit would strengthen the connection.
Direction: Direction part is exactly what created this whole confusion for me. At first, I interpreted the message as Under Armour being the iron that sharpens the iron (the athletes). This aligned well with the “Iron Sharpens Iron” slogan and made a compelling case for why someone should choose Under Armour apparel. However, the connection between the rivalry theme and Under Armour’s role in pushing athletes to their limits wasn’t as strong as it could be.
To improve this, I’d suggest finding a way to more seamlessly tie these ideas together. Whether through visuals, narration, or a clearer build-up to the slogan, strengthening this connection would make the Unique Selling Point much more impactful and cohesive.
Extras:
While iconic moments and precise timing might not fully apply to a student project, incorporating fictional rivalry highlights between the athletes could take the ad to the next level. For instance, showcasing them outpacing their competitors while staying neck-and-neck with each other would emphasize their rivalry and create a sense of iconic moments that make them truly stand out.
Overall:
With a few tweaks, this ad has the potential to stand out even more. It’s clear that Jonathan possesses the technical skills and creativity to craft a compelling sports video ad.
Check out Jonathan on: Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
