For the 30th anniversary of its iconic "Just Do It” campaign, Nike has released a series of ads showcasing athletes who’ve overcome obstacles.
Serena Williams, LeBron James, Lacey Baker, and Odell Beckham Jr. are featured in the campaign, but the athlete that’s getting all the attention is former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick is the face of a new Nike ad that reads “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt”
“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,” Gino Fisanotti, Nike’s vice president of brand for North America, told ESPN.
“We wanted to energize its meaning and introduce 'Just Do It' to a new generation of athletes,” Fisanotti said.
Kaepernick caused a firestorm back in 2016 by kneeling on the sidelines during the national anthem to protest injustice against people of color.
After the 2016 season, Kaepernick has yet to land with another team, prompting him to sue the NFL's owners for colluding to keep him off the field.
Conservatives were upset by Kaepernick’s protest against inequality, claiming it was disrespectful to America’s military.
Nike’s decision to highlight Kaepernick’s brave choice to sacrifice his lucrative career to take a stand for justice has caused a conservative backlash.
The patriotically-correct crowd has been burning Nike shoes and defacing their undergarments in protest.
For Nike, the Kaepernick ad is a savvy move designed to court controversy. The campaign is a clear appeal to younger consumers who overwhelmingly support Kaepernick.
According to Fisanotti, the updated “Just Do It” campaign is specifically targeted at the teenage demographic.
For many, the #BoycottNike campaign is just another misguided Trump-era outrage that will amount to nothing. Since Trump took office, conservatives have called for boycotts of Starbucks, Keurig, Amazon, Nordstrom, and the NFL to no avail.
Here are some of the funniest tweets inspired by the #BoycottNike controversy.
One guy pretended to set his feet on fire to mock the #BoycottNike folks.