Under Armour is making a bold move in European football with its latest campaign, "You Need More Than Strikers to Protect This House." Playing off its iconic "Protect This House" brand line to emphasise teamwork and discipline in the beautiful game. How? By shifting the spotlight from the usual suspects to the overlooked backbone of every team: the defenders. With Antonio Rüdiger, Real Madrid’s star centre-back, leading the charge.
Video · Campaign film
You Need More than Strikers to Protect this House
This is the first campaign since ACE was appointed lead EMEA agency for Under Armour last June, and it's part of a broader strategy to boost the brand's presence across Europe.
This time, football culture is the focus. Building on Under Armour’s identity with insights that connect to the heart and soul of the game. And drawing inspiration from cities and communities where raw football is forged, ranging from Madrid and South London to Paris' famous 93 and Rüdiger's own Neukölln.
“We’re establishing a strong and unified presence for Under Armour across EMEA centred around football,” says ACE CEO Rogier IJzermans. “Our goal is to help the brand grow with confidence, striking a balance between its performance-driven core and its ambition to become a cultural force in football. Always staying true to that unique underdog spirit—a mindset that resonates deeply within ACE, being an underdog agency.”
‘The defenders stand their ground for the team, like Antonio Rüdiger. If someone is out on the pitch to Protect This House, it’s them.’
ACE’s creative directors - Dimitri Deneuville and David Diankanguila - dig deeper: “The spotlight favours strikers, with the goals, the glory, the big-money deals. But Under Armour is uniquely positioned to celebrate individual players who grind for collective success. The defenders stand their ground for the team, like Antonio Rüdiger. If someone is out on the pitch to Protect This House, it’s them.”
The campaign rolls out across cinema, OOH, online, and TV in the UK, Spain, and Germany and aligns with Under Armour’s long standing commitment to the grind, while honouring those who hold the line when it matters most.
