Under Armour, Inc. is an American sportswear company founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a former University of Maryland football player. The company’s logo is a stylized monogram combining the letters “U” and “A” from the brand name, formed by two vertically overlapping arches. The mark is officially described by the company as a “double-arch logo” and has been called the “Heartbeat” of the brand in recent product launches. [1]
Design and History
The original Under Armour logo appeared in 1996, featuring the overlapping U and A arches accompanied by additional lettering above and below the symbol. The early version was narrower than the current mark and included a symbol at the connecting point between the two letters, along with the words “Athletic Apparel” at the bottom. [2]
In 1997, the logo was broadened into an oval badge with a thicker, square-style font for the wordmark. The following year, Under Armour removed the “Athletic Apparel” text and the symbol between the letters, making the oval outline bolder and moving the wordmark to the bottom of the mark. In 1999, the company replaced its grey logo with a darker black-and-white design and added the phrase “Performance Apparel” beneath the brand name, separated by a horizontal line. [2]
Marcus Stephens, who joined Under Armour as creative director in 2000, is credited with designing the iconic Under Armour logo and with refining and contemporizing it over the years to its current version. [3] An AIGA DC event announcement from 2006 also credits Stephens with the debut of a new logo in 2000. [4]
In 2005, the logo was simplified by removing the “Performance Apparel” tagline and the horizontal line, leaving the interlocking U and A symbol alongside the “UNDER ARMOUR” wordmark. [2] The company went public on November 17, 2005. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
Kevin Plank has stated that the Under Armour logo “has always been a symbol of balance, symmetry, and equilibrium.” [1] The mark is formed by combining the letters “U” and “A” from “Under Armour” into a single shape. [2]
In 2025, Under Armour launched the UA Halo footwear collection, which functionally integrated the double-arch logo into the midsole of the shoes for the first time in company history. The embedded logo was dubbed the “Heartbeat” logo and was designed to play a role in stabilizing and propelling the wearer. [1] [6]
Typography and Design
The Under Armour wordmark uses a custom sans-serif typeface designed specifically for the company. The font is described as blocky and angular, with elements where letters appear as though they have been cut, conveying a sense of ruggedness. [2] The primary logo color is black on a white background, though the company experiments with color choices across different products and packaging. [2]
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