Getty/Justin Sullivan
Nike's new ad features former NFL player Colin Kaepernick.
- Nike made controversial ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick the face of its new "Just Do It" ad campaign.
- The move has had its fair share of detractors, including some who called for a boycott, but the net reaction has seemed to be positive for the company.
- However, a recent survey evaluating consumer sentiment of Nike shows that it has declined in the time since the ad was released.
Nike took a risk with its new Colin Kaepernick-narrated ad, but reaction in the immediate aftermath has been decidedly mixed, with somewhat conflicting messages of how it will impact the brand in the long run.
The ads, which made the ex-NFL player the face of Nike's newest "Just Do It" campaign, lit a firestorm on social media. Observers noted what a big risk Nike took by releasing the ad, which was easily predicted to be polarizing.
Kaepernick was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem before games in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police brutality. Critics saw the protest as disrespectful to the military, with President Donald Trump calling for players who protested during the anthem to be fired.
Now, Nike's favorability among customers may be taking a hit, at least, that is, according to one of the first polls to measure consumer sentiment in the immediate aftermath of the ad.
In a survey of 1,694 adults, Morning Consult found that net favorability of the brand had dropped 34 points overall, from 69 to 35, since the ad was released. Morning Consult constantly monitors brand reputation and was able to compare results of its surveys both before and after the ad made headlines. Brands can score on a scale of -100 to 100.
Among those who identified as Nike customers, net favorability dropped 13 points from 91 to 78. Favorability also dropped among Nike's core demographic of Gen Z and millennials. The only group that now has a net unfavorable rating - dropping all the way from a net positive of 75 points - were customers who identified themselves as Republicans.
Purchasing consideration also fell, with 39% of all adults saying they were either likely or very likely to buy Nike products, which was a decrease from 49% before the announcement. Adults who said they were not likely to buy Nike products doubled from 13% to 29% after the ad was released.
The boycott threats still may not impact Nike's business. An analysis of social media mentions by Tickertags found that mentions of boycott in conjunction with Nike are actually falling. That suggests that customers may be angry enough to respond when asked about Nike directly, but not angry enough to make noise about it online.
Customer sentiment is difficult to measure, especially in the immediate aftermath of controversy. Whether customers actually do what they say they intend to do or their anger fizzles out before it makes an impact isn't easily measured at the moment.
Read more about Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad:
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- Nike has released its commercial starring Colin Kaepernick - as well as Serena Williams and LeBron James - after being trashed by Trump
- Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad doesn't show him doing what made him controversial, and it's a brilliant strategic move
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- People are destroying their Nike shoes and socks to protest Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad campaign
- Trump says Nike ad featuring Colin Kaepernick sends 'a terrible message'
- Trump says Nike pays 'a lot of rent' in an interview about the new Colin Kaepernick ad
- Nike's polarizing new Colin Kaepernick ad shows it can succeed where Starbucks and Target failed
- The NFL released a statement backing players protesting social issues, including Colin Kaepernick
- 'Few companies can afford to anger that many consumers and survive': Branding experts say Nike may have gotten exactly what it wanted with its controversial new Colin Kaepernick ad