It’s rare for a national company selling consumer products to take a stand on a controversial political issue. Generally, they would remain neutral, fearing that taking a political position would hurt sales with the consumers that support the opposing position.
Nike boldly ignored that conventional advertising rule by making the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick the voice and face of their latest “Just Do It” commercial.
In August 2016, Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem and chose to kneel to protest racial injustice and police brutality. Kaepernick was blacklisted by the NFL for leading the “take a knee” protest during the playing of the pregame national anthem. No NFL team has been willing to sign him since, even though his stats are considerably better than others they have recruited.
By describing Kaepernick’s action as inspirational in the commercial, Nike is courageously raising the stakes in the controversy over the anthem protests. They appear to be directly challenging Trump by transforming the conversation from Kaepernick as protester, to Kaepernick as civil rights warrior.
Nike’s North America vice-president for brand marketing Gino Fisanottin told ESPN, “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward.” With its new ad, Nike has thrust Kaepernick – and the professional sacrifice he made for his political beliefs – back into the center of football and broader political conversation.
Kaepernick is living the words he uses in the commercial. “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
“If people say your dreams are crazy, if they laugh at what you think you can do, good. Stay that way,” Kaepernick says. “Because what nonbelievers fail to understand is that calling a dream crazy is not an insult; it’s a compliment. Don’t try to be the fastest runner in your school, or the fastest in the world. Be the fastest, ever, so don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.”
Nike’s commercial lit up Trump and his supporters immediately. Trump’s supporters have been protesting the commercial by publicly burning Nike products and calling for a boycott of their brands. Trump, who has demanded that NFL owners fire any “son of a bitch” who didn’t stand for the anthem, quickly joined in the Nike bashing on Twitter.
Trump falsely claimed Nike was absolutely getting killed with angry boycotts. FOX News talking head Tucker Carlson warned that society would “fall apart” by Nike’s endorsement of Kaepernick.
Once again, Trump and Fox News are spouting fake alternative facts. Nike saw a 31% increase in sales compared to the same Labor Day period last year.
This isn’t the first time Nike has used their “Just Do It” campaign as a national media bullhorn to change the conversation. In 1995 Nike used “Just Do It” to focus attention on women’s rights in athletics with its “If You Let Me Play” ad. Also in 1995, Nike featured Ric Munoz, a Los Angeles marathon runner, who was HIV positive.
Some have said Kaepernick has become the most important NFL player not in the NFL. Likely the Nike ad will not only embolden more NFL protest, but hopefully widen the conversation about police profiling and their treatment of minority communities.
Last month in Des Moines, two young black men were stopped for no apparent reason. Their treatment by the Des Moines police was captured on video and has raised serious questions about the behavior of one of the officers. That stop has resulted in a lawsuit alleging a violation of the young black men’s civil rights.
Owing to the unending civil rights lawsuits filed against police, this is an essential conversation every community must engage in honestly and factually. Kneeling before the flag and asking America to live up to the ideals we repeat in the pledge seems more appropriate than ever.
Nike should be congratulated for elevating the conversation by recognizing Colin Kaepernick as an inspirational civil rights activist.
by Rick Smith
Posted 9/11/18
2 Comments on "Nike Takes A Knee For Equality And Justice"
Thank you, Rick. Seems to me that “treating the flag with respect” (umm – it ain’t about “the flag”, anyway; it’s about the inequality built into the system the flag represents) would require one to kneel to say (paraphrasing), “My country (represented by that flag); when it is wrong, right it!”
I find it slighty ironic, too that those who are burning their Nike products or cutting the logo off them are not affecting Nike in the slightest; Nike already has their money. I know; it’s asymbolic gesture, but it seems that it is a shortsighted one.
(and our Military? They don’t fight for the “the Flag”; they fight for the COUNTRY, and far too little respect from the Powers that Be.)
It is idiotic for Wesley Strueing to proclaim what veterans fought for. We fought for family Wesley. If our families were in Russia, does your intellect tell you we would have fought for America? What a silly child. The fact is that we fought for the flag that was flying above our heads; which represented our family, our country and our hopes for our children. Idiot’s, regardless of how shortsighted and ignorance, do not get to decide what our actions result in. We have greatly impacted Nike! The NFL will starve in an era where most youth turn away from sports and bars, and play games at home. Nike will target the remaining loyal sports fanbase, which will be predominately minorities. Nike will continue paying 20 cents an hour for poor Chinese workers to produce products that they sell for huge profits in the American market. And complete fools will continue to pontificate about how Nike is a great American company. lol