As we told you earlier today, on Tuesday Under Armour’s CEO, Kevin Plank, said that Donald Trump was a ‘real asset’ for U.S. companies. This has caused people endorsed and associated with Under Armour to speak out, from Steph Curry to Misty Copeland. Now another Under Armour spokesperson, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson — former WWE star and the highest-paid actor in Hollywood — is speaking up about the comments. Notably, he takes a stand that Kevin Plank’s pro-Trump comments don’t define the diverse and wonderful people that make Under Armour the brand that it is.
I appreciate and welcome the feedback from people who disagree (and agree) with Kevin Plank’s words on CNBC, but these are neither my words, nor my beliefs. His words were divisive and lacking in perspective. Inadvertently creating a situation where the personal political opinions of Under Armour’s partners and its employees were overshadowed by the comments of its CEO.
A good company is not solely defined by its CEO. A good company is not defined by the athlete or celebrity who partners with them. A good company is not a single person. A good company is a team, a group of brothers and sisters committed to working together each and every day to provide for their families and one another and the clients they serve.
We don’t partner with a brand casually. I partner with brands I trust and with people who share my same values. That means a commitment to diversity, inclusion, community, open-mindedness and some serious hard work. But it doesn’t mean that I or my team will always agree with the opinion of everyone who works there, including its executives. Great leaders inspire and galvanize the masses during turbulent times, they don’t cause people to divide and disband.
My responsibility here is not only to the global audience we serve, but also to the thousands of workers who pour blood, sweat, and tears into making Under Armour strong. A diverse group of hardworking men and women who possess integrity, respect and compassion for one another and the world they live in. Debate is healthy. But in a time of widespread disagreement, so is loyalty. I feel an obligation to stand with this diverse team, the American and global workers, who are the beating heart and soul of Under Armour and the reason I chose to partner with them.
My commitment is as real as my sweat and callouses that thicken daily.#CommittedToThePeople
Per usual, The Rock is keeping it classy with the tone of his post. Like to hear that he’s committed to the people. Nice touch, because God bless The People’s elbow.