Updated throughout the day with quick takes from staff.
Wow. Is the takeover going to happen sooner than we thought? On the heels of Nike's commercial starring Quinton "Rampage" Jackson that debuted during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games opening ceremonies and yesterday's viral video produced by Reebok that featured Chuck Liddell, comes this new Under Armour ad with UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in action alongside Olympic hero Michael Phelps, NBA Rookie of the Year candidate Brandon Jennings, and the likely first wide receiver taken in the 2010 NFL Draft, Dez Bryant.
It's well documented that GSP has been at the forefront when it comes to non-endemic brands dipping their toes in MMA water. Along with this new Under Armour spot, St. Pierre also starred in a Gatorade commercial that ran in Canada last year.
So in the last two weeks, three of the biggest sports apparel companies in the world (Nike, Reebok, and Under Armour) have made a noticeable effort to include the sport of MMA in their marketing efforts.
People can say what they want about MMA not being taken as seriously as the other "main" sports in this country, but when the stars of MMA are featured in ads alongside the likes of Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps, it's only a matter of time before folks will be forced to pay attention.
And as an aside, for my money, Under Armour is most definitely the champion of the sports apparel advertising division.
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