Unless you haven’t been on social media in the last 72 hours you have probably heard the somewhat controversial news that Colin Kaepernick was named the face of Nike’s new Just Do It Ad campaign. Last night, Nike released the visuals that go along with the campaign. The video ad is inspirational, powerful and flies in the face of the naysayers trying to boycott Nike over this latest ad spot.
Colin Kaepernick is featured primarily at the end of the ad but narrates the entire ad describing the journeys of different athletes and their on the field/ off the field efforts. The video features stars such as Nyjah Huston, Shaquem Griffin, Alphonso Davies, Serena Williams, LeBron James and many more.
Take a look at the video below and let us know your thoughts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq2CvmgoO7I
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.”