Marking the end of a four-year relationship that saw a Baltimore-based performance apparel company rise from a burgeoning privately held firm to a formidable force on the NASDAQ stock exchange, Under Armour Inc. and public relations firm Warschawski have parted company.
Officials with Warschawski declined to comment on the contract loss but confirmed in a prepared statement that the companies have separated.
Financial details of the former contract were undisclosed.
“We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Under Armour as their agency of record over the past four years,” agency founder and President David Warschawski said in the statement. “Warschawski and Under Armour have decided that after four years of working together, now is the time for us to part company.”
News of the split comes just days after Under Armour announced it had been named an authorized National Football League footwear supplier.
According to the news release regarding the new NFL partnership, the public relations contact was listed as Arnold Worldwide, which has its headquarters in Boston. Representatives from both Arnold and Under Armour declined to comment on the marketing contract.
Warschawski has been promoting the various awards it has won for its branding work with Under Armour, including a Silver Anvil and Gold Sabre award for several months. However, Dennis Pitta, a marketing professor at the University of Baltimore?s Merrick School of Business, said winning awards does not mean the work achieved results.
“Awards don?t necessarily mean profits, and awards don?t necessarily mean you?ve achieved the goals of your business and marketing plan,” Pitta said. “It?s wonderful to win awards, but it?s better to have a crummy campaign where the results can be tracked. It?s the difference between aesthetics and business.”
