Under Armour has signed a model to be part of its new women's campaign. And not just any model -- Mrs. Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen.
Sources tell ESPN.com
On Tuesday morning, the shoe and apparel brand posted a teaser video on YouTube featuring the world's top-earning model, who is married to the New England Patriots' star quarterback. In the video, Bundchen is seen wearing the brand's gear and heading into an empty loft with a heavy bag hanging from the ceiling. It ends with the promise of more to come about the relationship Thursday.
In 2010, Brady joined Under Armour, receiving an undisclosed piece of the company for his endorsement. Although Brady has been selective with his endorsements, landing Bundchen might have been harder.
Last month, Forbes magazine said she was the highest-earning model in the world for the eighth year in a row, pulling in an estimated $47 million. In comparison, Brady received a $30 million signing bonus for a restructured and extended deal he signed last year with the Patriots, and he has a $2 million base salary for this upcoming season.
Bundchen will be part of Under Armour's women's campaign, which kicked off last month with the signing of ballerina Misty Copeland, another nontraditional endorsement deal for the brand. The Copeland spot, featuring her against-all-odds story, has garnered more than 5.8 million views on YouTube.
The campaign, with its I Will What I Want slogan, also includes skier Lindsey Vonn, soccer player Kelley O'Hara and tennis player Sloane Stephens.
Under Armour's women's business does about $500 million in sales and makes up roughly 30 percent of the company's overall apparel sales annually.
While Bundchen crosses over into sportswear, Brady has already crossed over into fashion. In 2010, he signed a deal to endorse fashion brand Ugg Australia. The company says its men's business has grown 150 percent since and attributes much of that to Brady. The quarterback also was a longtime endorser of Stetson cologne.
The husband-wife team of Brady and Bundchen is perhaps the highest-profile to align with a sports brand since Andre Agassi left Nike in 2005 to join Adidas, the brand endorsed by his wife, Steffi Graf. Agassi went back to Nike last year.