Former Adidas Exec Eric Liedtke Joins Under Armour as EVP of Brand Strategy Following Unless Collective Acquisition
Stephen Garner
Senior Editor
Industry veteran Eric Liedtke has joined Under Armour as its new executive vice president of brand strategy following the completion of its acquisition of Unless Collective, a zero-plastic regenerative fashion brand he co-founded in 2020. The transaction is expected to be completed later this week.
In his new role, Under Armour said in a statement on Tuesday that Liedtke will be globally accountable for amplifying the brand identity and storytelling, its comprehensive strategic planning process, and executing transformational initiatives that accelerate growth for Under Armour. He will also continue to lead and curate Unless.
Liedtke will report to president and chief executive officer Kevin Plank and oversee Under Armour’s brand presence through category marketing, consumer intelligence, creative, marketing operations, loyalty, social media, sports marketing and all strategy functions.
Plank said in a statement that Liedtke’s experience will be a “tremendous asset in galvanizing” Under Armour’s brand strategy. “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,” Plank said. “I look forward to working with Eric in this important new role.”
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Before co-founding and becoming chief executive officer of Unless in 2020, Liedtke spent 26 years at Adidas Group. While at the German athletic brand, he served in several including senior positions in footwear marketing and executive roles as vice president of brand marketing, senior vice president of sports performance brand marketing and head of sports performance, finishing as brand president and executive board member.
While brand president, he is credited with orchestrating one of the most significant turnarounds in the company’s history through the creation and implementation of a five-year strategic plan that delivered more than $8 billion of revenue growth. His strategic and cultural leadership enabled adidas to break new ground in material, innovation, sustainability, and streetwear, creating conditions for consistent growth and largely responsible for the launches of the Boost footwear platform, Yeezy collaboration, and Parley line of sustainability-driven products, which were built from recycled ocean plastics.
“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,” Liedtke said. “I see tremendous opportunity to elevate the brand, enable deeper loyalty, and drive growth among new and existing consumers. I am excited to work with a visionary founder in Kevin and the executive leadership team to redefine and amplify the UA story and deliver an improved trajectory of growth over the long term.”
This news comes as Plank looks to rebuild heat at the struggling athletic brand. In its fourth quarter earnings announcement in May, which included a forecast of sales in North America falling by 17 percent in fiscal year 2025, Under Armour said it approved a restructuring plan which is expected to cost between $70 and $90 million. Part of these costs will be related to employee severance and benefits costs, suggesting impending layoffs at the struggling sportswear maker. Under Armour declined to comment further on the scope of the layoffs.
Under Armour’s fourth-quarter net income tallied $6.5 million in the fourth quarter, down from earnings of $170.6 million a year earlier.
