Shrouded in controversy Nike has decided to make Colin Kaepernick the face of their latest “Just Do It” campaign.
As one of the biggest stories of the year, Colin Kaepernick – the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback came under fire for his choice to sit during the national anthem in 2016. After talking to a military serviceman as to what the best way to honour the flag while taking on a protest stance Kaepernick began to kneel during the national anthem to shed light on the vast inequality and injustice African American face at the hands of police. This decision by Kaepernick eventually led to an indirect exile from the NFL.
The new campaign is poignant it reads “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” This is a powerful statement especially one that is as American as Nike. Nike has placed their advertising dollars behind an important message in today’s politically aware climate.
Kaepernick’s actions sparked controversy between the Trump administration, the NFL and black athletes as a whole. Trump went as far as calling out the NFL and stating “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘get that sone of a b**** off the field right now, out – he’s fired!”
“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,” said Nike’s vice president of brand for North America Gino Fisanotti to ESPN.
According to insiders on Twitter, saying “- It’s wide endorsement. He’s going to have his own branded line. Shoes, shirts, jerseys, etc. There will be Kaepernick apparel.”