Nike reveals that Colin Kaepernick, American football quarterback and activist, will lead their 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign.
Colin Kaepernick has been widely known for initiating the trend of kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. It caused him to surrender his role as starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and become a free agent. However, ESPN reports that Nike has honored Mr. Kaepernick’s spokesperson contract since 2011.
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Nike’s new campaign will feature Mr. Kaepernick on several platforms, including billboards, television commercials, online ads and an apparel line plus contributing to his Know Your Rights charity. This has caused many to join the #NikeBoycott trend. Critics have begun destroying their Nike products, switching loyalties to rival brands such as Adidas. Supporters of the campaign have pledged to wear more Nike and buy more Nike products.
The Washington Post writes, “Nike has used its messages to take a stance on social justice issues before. In February 2017, a Nike ad called for an end to discrimination, saying ‘equality has no boundaries.'” With their history of supporting the underdog, Nike is no stranger to controversy.
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As a spokesperson, Mr. Kaepernick is using controversy, confidence, consistency, and calmness to communicate his message to others. He has previously stated, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color…To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.”
Nike’s vice-president of brand, Gino Fisanotti says, “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. We wanted to energise its meaning and introduce ‘Just Do It’ to a new generation of athletes.”