When I first started watching the new Under Armour spot, “Rule Yourself,” I must admit it felt like just another Nike-wannabe ad. But my cynical expectations were quickly squashed with a smart insight brought to life in a visually arresting way. The idea that, “You are the sum of all of your training,” is the insight. Now here’s the execution: This idea is bigger than ‘practice makes perfect.’ The insight that an athlete is the gestalt of all of his or her preparation and practice is strong. We tend to think that “practice makes perfect,” but that old axiom is focused on the activity itself as if the activity (shooting a free throw or sticking a nine iron) is somehow separate from ourselves. This Under Armour idea, “You are the sum of all of your training,” leapfrogs “practice makes perfect” and makes the concept of preparation personal, to the point... More