Nike Did Nothing Wrong

 

ALEC GREGORY Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Sept. 5, Nike released a commercial in honor of the anniversary of their “Just Do It” campaign, a portion of the company dedicated to making shoes and other sport-like apparel. Their most recent commercial features multiple professional athletes paired with inspiring stories from different athletes. Lebron James, Serena Williams and Shaquem Griffin are some celebrities seen in the ad. However, Colin Kaepernick, a controversial football player, was also featured. The inclusion of Kaepernick as a part of Nike’s ad campaign was a smarta move on the part of the sportswear company.

Kaepernick is known as one of the most controversial figures in sports today for being the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem, to protest police brutality and racial inequality. He first did this in 2016 and received criticism all across the country, even from our own president, Donald Trump. Trump called for Kaepernick and any other player who protested during the national anthem to be fired, as he considered their actions disrespectful to the country and those who have served it. The Nike commercial caused outrage across the country for featuring such a controversial figure.

Many people are threatening to boycott Nike and some have even went to the extremes such as burning their Nike shoes and apparel. Videos on YouTube show protestors ranting about Nike and Kaepernick and even pouring gasoline on their shoes and lighting them on fire. Although some people may believe Nike should not have featured Kaepernick in their ad, Nike made the right choice.

Near the end of the commercial, Kaepernick can be seen for the first time as he states the words, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem because he believed that the country oppresses people of color and that no one is doing anything to stop it. He was sacrificing his reputation and possibly his career by kneeling but he did it because he believed in his cause. Nike has reached an all-time high in their stocks, despite the boycott threats.Ultimately, Nike produced a well thought out commercial that was inspiring yet daring.