Under Armour x Sports Direct
The Under Armour team approached D4R with an experiential concept, which we helped bring to life in the new Sports Direct Liverpool flagship store!
TOTAL FOOTWORK
Engineered to push your boundaries, this interactive branded space is dedicated to quantifying your speed, precision, and footwork control.
The brief
Our engagement with Under Armour on this project was built upon a long-standing relationship, where we are their trusted partner, contracted to handle all their branded retail fixtures. They approached us with an exciting concept for a major experiential activation, and we were eager to bring it to life.
The core challenge, driven by Under Armour, was to disrupt the retail landscape and firmly establish them as a leading performance brand within the newly launched Sports Direct flagship store in Liverpool.
IDEA
The client’s big idea, which we helped refine and execute, was the “UA Total Footwork” experiential zone. This high-impact, first-of-its-kind installation for Sports Direct aimed to go beyond typical product display to create an immersive environment that would elevate the athlete experience in-store.
The key ambition was for the space to inspire consumers by movement, innovation, and the high-performance mindset that defines the brand. The initial brief provided a starting vision and loose visuals, which tasked us with developing and visualising a final solution that was both technically sound and tailored to the specific dimensions of the retail space.
Critically, the project was designed with a clear goal for measurable success: data capture from the game (email sign-ups) and driving engagement through a weekly £100 Under Armour voucher prize for the overall winner at the end of the activation, proving that physical retail can be about connection and inspiration as much as it is about selling product.
INSIGHT & STRATEGY
The strategy to realise the concept was rooted in creating a dynamic, high-performance environment that seamlessly merged physical challenge with a full digital journey. Our design translated the client’s concept into an industrial-style cage area, which became the visual and structural anchor of the zone. This main cage structure was constructed using powder-coated metal to project a premium and athletic aesthetic. Beneath the activation, we built a sturdy wooden sub-floor, topped with a 3mm printed surface, setting the stage for the action. Key to the experience was the integrated digital component, including a welcome screen and a data collection point with wooden and vinyl finishes for a streamlined user flow.
The realisation process was rigorous and demanding due to a particularly tight deadline, which necessitated seamless collaboration across all internal departments. Our project development included extensive prototyping: we constructed a wooden sub-floor and provided it to the digital supplier for test-fitting and compatibility checks. This was followed by two dry builds to ensure all elements, from the structural cage to the innovative, UK-first touch-responsive floor LEDs on the running tracks, aligned perfectly before final on-site installation.
All materials used, particularly the sub-floor and cage elements, were selected with a focus on fire-rated safety. The final concept successfully delivered the vision of a competitive 1v1 game zone featuring the Fast Track and Power Step drills, all integrated with a user-friendly system for players to receive a unique QR code ticket and consent to data capture before playing, creating a core innovation by merging measurable performance with valuable CRM data acquisition.
REALISATION
The outcome of the project was the dominant “UA Total Footwork” zone in the new Liverpool Sports Direct flagship. The industrial cage aesthetic and large-scale digital screens immediately created a premium, high-performance draw, making the concept look exactly the same as the vision and performing precisely as intended, providing a fun and competitive experience. The zone successfully hit the core of the brief: to create a bold, differentiated experience that immersed customers in the brand’s ethos.
By integrating the QR code system for pre-game data collection, the activation delivered a personalised, competitive experience that ensured high engagement and a strong data capture rate, successfully hitting one of its primary KPIs.
The activation’s success guarantees an extended life: the experiential installation is designed to be movable, and we are contracted to handle its future de-rig and installation as it moves to other stores, reinforcing our continued partnership with Under Armour.
RESULTS
The activation delivered immediate and outstanding results, proving its effectiveness in capturing consumer interest and driving interaction.
Within In the first two weeks alone, the “Total Footwork” activation recorded over 2,000 game plays.
Testimonial
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