Nike
Colin Kaepernick in Nike's new ad.
- Nike released its controversial commercial starring Colin Kaepernick on Wednesday, following threats of boycott and criticism from President Donald Trump.
- Kaepernick narrates the ad, which features a wide range of athletes including inspirational amateurs, Serena Williams, and LeBron James.
- Kaepernick is only shown in the closing seconds of the commercial, which does not feature the former NFL player in football gear or kneeling during the national anthem as part of his protests against police brutality.
Nike has released its commercial starring Colin Kaepernick, following threats of boycott and criticism from President Donald Trump.
On Wednesday, Nike and Kaepernick posted a commercial on Twitter and YouTube.
The ad, narrated by Kaepernick, showcases various inspirational, sports-related stories, including amateur athletes such as a football-playing Homecoming queen and an Ironman participant who lost 120 pounds and recovered from a brain tumor. Professional athletes, including Serena Williams, LeBron James, and the Seattle Seahawks' Shaquem Griffin (who was born with one hand), are also featured.
Kaepernick is only shown in the closing seconds of the commercial. He is not wearing football gear, but instead a turtleneck and tan coat. The ad concludes with the words: "It's only crazy until you do it. Just do it."
Nike
Notably, there is no footage in the ad of Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem.
Kaepernick was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem before games in 2016 to protest racial inequality and police brutality. Some on the right, including Trump, saw the protest as disrespectful to the military, with Trump calling for players who protested to be fired.
When news broke on Monday that Kaepernick would star in a new Nike campaign, the response was immediately polarized.
People threatened to boycott Nike, with some people even destroying their Nike shoes and socks. President Trump chimed in on Twitter on Wednesday, saying that "Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts."
Despite the backlash, most business and brand observers say that Nike seems to have weighed the risks in running the Kaepernick ad and decided to release it anyway. That makes sense, as Nike's core customers are primarily young, diverse urbanites, who are more likely to be "belief-driven buyers."
Watch the full ad here:
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