Digital IQ Index®: Activewear 2016

Download the report: https://www.l2inc.com/research/activewear-2016 Denim’s pain is the activewear market’s gain as athleisure sales boom. Nike and Adidas lead globally, however Under Armour’s rocketing sales have eclipsed Adidas’ US turnover. In addition, the Baltimore firm’s e-commerce sales account for 10% of sales vs. 3% for Nike and Adidas, signaling greater aptitude and focus around growth channels. Once technology laggards, the big three are now positioning themselves as fitness technology companies. Under Armour catalyzed the tech arms race with $700 million in app acquisitions, now presented under the umbrella "Record" platform—a Top-30 Health & Fitness app. Similarly, In March 2016, Nike announced plans to consolidate its most popular apps, adding commerce-centric functionality, including a personalized storefront, VIP invitations, and QR code-enabled access to in-store services. Despite the momentum, the sector lags across a number of digital basics: only 19% provide in-store inventory to facilitate the omnichannel experience, and just 31% offer mobile apps that facilitate m-commerce. Of the four geniuses in this year’s Digital IQ Index: Activewear, Nike captures the top spot, setting the standard for product customization, mobile ads that link to shoppable looks and product pages, and apps and programming that activate brand loyalists. North Face takes the number two spot with dynamic guided selling tools that streamline product discovery, and experimentation with emerging social platforms. Under Armour digital capabilities bring a powerful combination of challenger mentality with incumbent resources and joins the Genius circle for the first time. This study attempts to quantify the digital competence of 68 Activewear brands in the U.S. market. Members can download the full report at L2inc.com. Subscribe to L2 for more insights: http://www.l2inc.com/subscribe