Under Armour Rallies Athletes With Inspirational Speech Crafted By ChatGPT

Before going out for a big game, coaches usually gather their team around to pass along some advice and encouragement to foster a more collective spirit among the players. But sometimes, it’s hard to get the words right, and there’s no shame in asking for a bit of help to find the right things to say.

Under Armour has done just that with The Ultimate Team Talk, a 90-second locker room speech written by ChatGPT and delivered by British actor Ashley Walters.

The campaign’s objective centered on forging an unparalleled source of inspiration: a team talk to propel team sports athletes to unleash their utmost dedication. This endeavor emerged as an extension of Under Armour’s Protect This House marketing campaign.

Driven by a quest to unravel the mechanics of motivation and optimal athletic performance, Under Armour delved into sports psychology literature and engaged in conversations with eminent European footballers. It produced 12 pivotal elements underpinning a potent pre-game talk, encompassing themes like embracing an underdog spirit and nurturing camaraderie.

Collaborating with Hedgehog Labs, its campaign partner, Under Armour got ChatGPT to channel the essence of camaraderie and a defender mentality, informed by their research. They then directed ChatGPT and instructed it on the type of tone, duration, and other directives. Before the speech in the video was finalized, it underwent meticulous internal scrutiny and editing before being green-lit.

Under Armour asserts that while AI holds marketing potential, its true prowess flourishes when melded with human intuition and creativity. It remarked that AI can kindle inspiration, yet it cannot replace the profound human understanding of consumers’ emotions and thoughts.

[via The Drum and Sport Industry Group, cover image via Under Armour]