Just do it: Sticking with bold decisions

“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

Nike sparked controversy with this phrase when they debuted their new advertisement featuring former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, to celebrate their 30th anniversary. 

A storm began to brew as the news of Nike’s new ad spread through social media. Videos and photos emerged of people burning and cutting the signature “swoosh” off of their Nike apparel.

The reaction by a divided and enraged country shows that Nike’s campaign is bold and justified when considering Kaepernick’s protest and Nike’s brand.

Kaepernick first started his peaceful protests in 2016 by sitting during the National Anthem. These protests were meant to bring attention to police brutality against African Americans, not to disrespect the flag as most think. After meeting with US veteran and former Seattle Seahawk, Nate Boyer, who discussed his disagreement with Kaepernick’s protests, Kaepernick and Boyer came to an agreement: Kaepernick would kneel during the anthem.

Kneeling during the anthem was still not welcomed by many, but the two’s reasons for kneeling logically made sense and showed respect. 

Boyer said that people kneel when they pray and soldiers kneel to honor a fellow fallen soldier. It is a sign of respect to those who have been lost, not a sign of disrespect to the country. It only makes sense that Kaepernick should respect those lost to injustice and police brutality by taking a knee. The protest would be small, dignified, yet have an impact.

Two years after the initial protest, Kaepernick signing with Nike reinforces their trend of pushing the boundaries and jumping into heated debates.

The New York Times said that during last year’s Black History Month, Nike created a campaign titled “Equality,” starring black athletes like Serena Williams, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. 

“Nike from Day 1 has really been a brand that has stood up to and stood for things that were important to them and important to their athletes, so I think there’s a little precedence there,” said Mary Scott, a president at UEG, a sports, entertainment and lifestyle marketing agency.

Nike is aligning themselves with a young audience that is hungry for change, a change that Kaepernick hopes to inspire. Most brands continue to tip-toe around heated topics in fear of upsetting either side of our divided country. 

For such a huge brand, one that is also a large sponsor of the NFL, to affiliate themselves with a controversial, yet peaceful, protest, shows guts – and that is precisely what Nike is about.

Men and women have fought to ensure our right to protest and have free speech, and are sworn to defend American citizens from enemies, both foreign and domestic. While some may not like it, this also ensures our right to kneel in solidarity with those who have been oppressed.

Another voice for the oppressed, Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Nonviolence is a powerful and just weapon. which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals.” 

We encourage Kaepernick and his supporters, such as Nike, to stand beside their decisions and stand with those who have lost their voice. No matter how many Nike tennis shoes have been turned to ash, people have lost their lives to defend the right to this poignant protest.