Nike has decidedly placed athlete Colin Kaepernick on the face of its “Just Do It” campaign as revealed today, in a controversial move.
Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, first came under the spotlight for choosing to sit during the national anthem in 2016, and then later kneeling against racial injustice and police brutality. Nike’s poster, which prominently states “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” is a powerful statement that the Beaverton, Oregon company is placing, correlating to the Trump administration’s view on kneeling players of the NBA and NFL. The move eventually led to Kaepernick being indirectly forced out of the league.
The act sparked controversy between the players and the Trump administration, with the president going as far as stating “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b—- off the field right now, out — he’s fired!’” Nike has not used Kaepernick for its campaigns for two years until now.
“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.
Senior reporter Charles Robinson also shed some insight into the deal between Nike and Kaepernick via Twitter, saying “- It’s wide endorsement. He’s going to have his own branded line. Shoes, shirts, jerseys, etc. There will be Kaepernick apparel.”
After receiving news that Nike raked in $43 million USD worth of media exposure for its controversal Colin Kaepernick ad, it has now be reported that the sportswear giant’s online sales have also grown by 31%. This big boost in sales also has Kaepernick to thank.
According to a report from Edison Trends, Nike’s online sales grew 31% from Sunday through Tuesday of Labor Day weekend this year, which is notably greater than last year’s 17% seasonal increase. This data includes only online sales and omits the company’s brick and mortar locations.
Though Nike’s online sales have currently seen a boost, its stock fell more than 3% when it initially announced the endorsement deal with Kaepernick. Keep it locked here for more on the story.
In case you’ve missed it, Colin Kaepernick leads Nike’s powerful “Dream Crazy” campaign video.
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