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Here’s Why Americans Are Burning Their Nike Shoes And The Brand’s Stocks Are Falling

byJinal Bhatt
5th September 2018
3 minute read

If you’ve been actively browsing social media these last couple of days, you would have come across videos and tweets of people criticising the brand Nike. Some Americans are even burning their Nike shoes in protest of the brand’s recent ad campaign. What’s so controversial about it that a much loved brand has managed to enrage the nation so much? It has all got to do with a former NFL player called Colin Kaepernick.

Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has been courting controversy since 2016 NFL season.

Image Source: Instagram

During the match, when the American national anthem was played, Kaepernick kneeled instead of standing up to protest the state police’s treatment of people of colour.

He has done that in a couple of other matches too to protest against several incidents of police shootings of black people. Since March 2016, Kaepernick has been out of work. He has his supporters. However, there are also those who believe that not standing up for the national anthem is a major insult to the war heroes and veterans.

So wait, where does Nike feature in all this controversy?

Nike’s latest ad campaign features Colin Kaepernick, with a caption highlighting his protest and of course, the brand’s tagline ‘Just Do It’. The former NFL player tweeted the poster of the campaign, and all hell broke loose.

The poster was released in lieu of the ‘Just Do It’ slogan’s 30th anniversary.

Twitter was flooded with angry Nike consumers protesting by burning their Nike shoes and posting videos of it using #BoycottNike.

https://twitter.com/NikkiBenderXXX/status/1037218336839487490

US President Donald Trump, who has previously criticised Kaepernick’s stand and his kneeling gesture also condemned Nike for the campaign.

He told Daily Caller,

“I think it’s a terrible message that (Nike) are sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there’s a reason for them doing it.”

Owing to the massive outrage and boycott, Nike sales have been majorly hit.

However, in terms of media exposure, Nike seems to be doing quite well.

And indeed the positive support that Nike has garnered has been incredible.

The burning videos have been taken on by funny trolls who don’t seem to understand what all the fuss about burning their previously brought Nike shoes is all about!

Even sports legends like Serena Williams and LeBron James have lauded Nike and Kaepernick for their collaboration.

View this post on Instagram

🗣🗣🗣🗣Just.Do.It ✊🏾 @kaepernick7

A post shared by LeBron James (@kingjames) on

However, amidst all this, a few voices also want to direct people’s attention to the fact that this whole thing is, in the end, a marketing campaign for a brand.

So whether you support the cause or burn your shoes, the brand is winning on both ends with the media exposure, which is often a brand’s ultimate goal.

Suits star Patrick J Adams tweeted,

Ultimately, this could end up being just another controversy that eventually dies down but is remembered by advertising enthusiasts as one of the controversially great ones. Till then, more power to socially important causes!

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