Whenever the name Colin Kaepernick is mentioned, it is almost as if you can feel tension in the air between people. This former NFL quarterback may have sacrificed his career to put a spotlight on police brutality and inequality for blacks. During the 2017-18 season, Kaepernick, along with a few players from other teams, began kneeling while the National Anthem was played before games. He did not want to stand for a country that allowed for black people to be continually brutalized by police officers without justification. This pregame kneeling has led to a nation-wide debate on whether or not players should be allowed to kneel during the anthem. It also has gotten people to discuss the important issues he wants us to think about.
Despite being a skilled QB, Kaepernick is teamless this season as a result of his controversial aroma. Kaepernick did not make it long unemployed, because he is now the face of a new Nike campaign. For Nike’s 30th anniversary of the ‘Just Do It’ motto, they released an advertising campaign with Kaepernick at the forefront. This controversial play by Nike has resulted in outraged conservative Americans. Angered citizens took to the internet, posting videos of themselves burning their Nike shoes and apparel. These kicks on fire, literally, were even shown on the news.
Some may think this was a terrible marketing strategy for the sportswear company, yet the positive from the campaign definitely outweighed the negative. Reports show that as a result of the advertisement, Nike sales went up by a whopping 31%. Perhaps they lost potential future customers, but for now, they are selling to people who maybe would not buy Nike, yet they agree with Colin Kaepernick. Before you buy your next pair of shoes, take a moment to think about if you agree with the brands stance on controversial topics. Or, you could live your life not getting worked up about a corporation’s viewpoint and buy the pair of shoes you like best.
