Under Armour Showcases Sheer Strength and Dedication of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team

In case you weren't aware, the U.S. women's gymnastics team is comprised of some seriously tough young women. And Under Armour's latest ad shows just how talented and insanely strong they are, depicting gymnasts in a different light than viewers may be used to seeing them. The new 90-second spot, which is part of Under Armour's "Rule Yourself" campaign, follows team members as they train in the early hours of the morning and late at night, all in preparation for this year's Summer Olympics in Rio. Most of the women on the national team are under the age of 20, but rather than hanging out with friends, going to the movies or dating, they're perfecting their handstands, effortlessly climbing ropes and bending their bodies in ways that seem impossible. The tagline, "It's what you do in the dark that puts you in the light," aims to illustrate that these athletes will work day and night to prepare for battle. "As a company built by athletes, we truly understand an athlete's never-ending quest to reach greatness, and we want to showcase and honor their sacrifices," said Under Armour svp of global brand marketing Adrienne Lofton in a statement. "By providing this peek behind the curtain of our athletes' lives, we hope to inspire young athletes all over the world to push beyond their perceived limitations in order to achieve their ultimate goals. We truly believe it's what athletes do in the dark, when no one is watching, that ultimately puts them in the spotlight they deserve." The spot, created by Droga5, is similar to previous work for the "Rule Yourself" campaign, which in the past has tapped celebrities including Misty Copeland and Stephen Curry. It once again focuses on the immense amount of training athletes put in every day and emphasizes their strength. It's clear from watching gymnasts compete on TV that it takes a lot of skill and practice to fling their bodies between the uneven parallel bars or hold up their entire body weight on the balance beam, but during competitions, viewers see the gymnasts' perfected routines, the perfectly pinned-back hair and the sparkling leotards. What they don't see is what leads up to that: the late-night practices, long bus rides and ice packs strapped to ankles. Another ad rolls out this week that features Dutch football star Memphis Depay. The campaign will culminate in March with a short film starring American swimmer Michael Phelps. CREDITS Client: Under Armour Campaign: It's What You Do In The Dark, That Puts You In The Light Agency: Droga5 NY Creative Chairman: David Droga Chief Creative Officer: Ted Royer Executive Creative Director: David Droga Group Creative Director: Tim Gordon Creative Director: Alexander Nowak, Felix Richter Copywriter: Toby Treyer-Evans, Laurie Howell Art Director: Toby Treyer-Evans, Laurie Howell Design Director: Cynthia Ratasbouth Chief Creation Officer: Sally-Ann Dale Head of Broadcast Production: Ben Davies Executive Producer: Adam Perloff Head of Interactive Production: Niklas Lindstrom Head of Art Production: Cliff Lewis Senior Art Producer: Julia Menassa Senior Print Producer: Alyssa Dolman Retouching Studio Manager: Michelle Leedy Retouchers: John Ciambriello, Peter Gibson Designers: Jennifer Lally, Tessa Modi Head of Communications Strategy: Colleen Leddy Global Chief Strategy Officer: Jonny Bauer Head of Strategy: Chet Gulland Group Strategy Director: Harry Roman Brand Strategist: Candice Chen Senior Communications Strategist: Hillary Heath Group Account Director: Julian Cheevers Account Director: Brian D'Entremont Account Manager: Jordan Cappadocia Associate Account Manager: Scott Bubis Project Manager: Courtney Kosup, Connor Hall Client: Under Armour CEO and Founder: Kevin Plank CMO: Kip Fulks SVP, Global Brand Marketing: Adrienne Lofton SVP, Global Brand Creative: Steve Battista VP, Global Creative and Design: Brian Boring SVP, Global Brand Strategy: Rick Anguilla Sr. Director, Global Brand Marketing: Jasmine Maietta Director, Integrated Campaign Planning/Global Operations: Teresa Oles SVP, Global Communications: Diane Pelkey VP, Media: Steve Sommers Production Company: Epoch Films Director: Martin de Thurah DOP: Kasper Tuxen Executive Producer: Melissa Culligan Producer: Michaela Johnson Editorial: Stitch/Cartel Editor: Leo Scott Post Production: Blacksmith Sound Design: String and Tins / Q Department Mixer/Sound Editing: Chris Afzal Photographer: Thomas Prior

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Under Armour Showcases Sheer Strength and Dedication of the U.S. Women's Gymnastics Team

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