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Under Armour Signs Deal With Muhammad Ali

BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ)--Baltimore-based Under Armour signs a deal with one of the greatest athletes in sports history.

Jessica Kartalija explains why it's the first ad campaign of its kind.

In another bold move, Under Armour breaks tradition, signing a multi-year agreement with a long retired athlete.

"He is one of the most universally recognized-not only athletes-but human beings on the planet. And now he's part of the Under Armour family. It's brilliant," John Maroon, CEO, Maroon PR.

Sports marketing expert John Maroon says the move targets a wide range of consumers.

"You know Muhammad Ali, I know Muhammad Ali, a 10 year old knows Muhammad Ali. The beauty of that relationship is not that you're targeting a group, you're targeting the world," Maroon said.

The sportswear company will use vintage photos, video and quotes from Ali--in a new campaign launching in the next few weeks.

Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank recently appeared on CBS This Morning talking about marketing strategies.

"Any brand is about having a point of view and i think that comes across in all of our marketing and all of our storytelling, in a very consistent way."

Under Armour topped $3-billion in revenue last year, surpassing Adidas in sales.

The Ali campaign now gives the brand another big name against number-1 company, Nike.

"You just see things they are doing lately, and it's exciting. The noise coming out of Under Armour these days is loud and fun to listen to," said Maroon.

The Ali campaign will promote lifestyle  apparel in the spring and a collection of Ali branded shoes and apparel in the fall.

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