“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Nike and Colin Kaepernick team up to send a powerful message
Nike are celebrating the 30th anniversary of
their famous “Just do it” campaign with a new message and it isn’t very subtle.
Between then (September 1st) and now a lot has happened, most of which honestly only complicated this issue. Long story short, the opposition to Kaepernick argued that it was disrespectful towards the military, the flag, the anthem and the country.
All the while, everyone on Kaepernick’s side of the debate referred everyone they could back to the countless times many players clearly stated the kneeling was a) about social and racial inequality among other related issues, and b) the kneeling aspect was brought about by a military veteran as it was an act of respect towards veterans.
The debate moved on in this fashion as Kaepernick eventually became a free agent and subsequently never found a job. Sure, the Broncos claim they offered him a contract, but was it what Kaepernick deserved in a situation he’d want to go to? Not really. Since then, save a workout with the Seahawks and talk of signing with the Ravens, there has been no interest in Kaepernick. Instead, QBs like Drew Stanton, Connor Cook, Nathan Peterman, Austin Davis, Taylor Heinicke and others have gotten opportunities to be backups and even, inexplicably, started. Which brings us up to speed with Colin Kaepernick.
Right off the bat, “everything” may seem like an exaggeration in Kaepernick’s case – he made millions in the NFL, this new campaign will make him millions more. What’s more, something those opposed to Kaepernick like to point out, there are people dying fighting for their country, is that not sacrificing everything? They use this point to drive home their argument that Kaepernick is disrespecting every military veteran.
Nevertheless, the phrase “sacrificing everything” has triggered a pretty angry response from a lot of people. We have already seen tension caused by the issues Kaepernick is protesting boil over. Around America there have been marches driven by motives around race and equality, such as Black Lives Matter, and there have been counter-marches by white supremacist groups that have led to conflict and violence. The message Nike is spreading could be misconstrued by people of any opinion, and not positively. Could the message being misconstrued result in a rise in extremism? Or even does it simply encourage people to continue to refuse to see the other side of the argument?
In that sense, then, is the slogan a little clumsy, maybe even unthoughtful? No. It is deliberately blunt and provocative. The issue at hand, at least the original issues that forced Kaepernick and others to decide to protest, are incredibly serious. All along the protests aimed to generate a conversation about racial and social injustices and the systemic oppression of people of color. They started a conversation, but has there been meaningful progress? No, the issues back then are still issues now, and there is seemingly no end in sight.
The issues at hand shouldn’t be so difficult to resolve. It is about equality for all. 63 years after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus. 64 years since Martin Luther King began his civil rights movement. 51 years after the Detroit race riots. After so many minority groups have been subjected to sickening violence, abuse, segregation, and oppression. The fact that these issues are still prevalent is unacceptable. Thus, the time to be subtle, or even politically correct, is behind us. There must be a sense of urgency to create positive change.
This advert is doing exactly that. To provoke the positive change that has to happen, the messages and work to be done has to be direct and challenge the opposition. If people opposed misconstrue it, let them. If people opposed make careless decisions, let them. If people opposed respond with hate, let them. They are only making themselves seem even more out of touch with reality. If they do react in those ways, that positive change will be made, and the opposition can be thanked.
Once Kaepernick became a free agent, the platform he had used to send his message to millions was gone. With Nike he has a platform that will reach billions. Now, people who had never been reached or effected by this movement know about Kaepernick, his cause has been given a new breath of life. He has new momentum to harness, to force those in power to bring about positive change. All the while applying pressure to and exposing those opposed.
Clearly, Kaepernick is set to gain a lot from this campaign. But what about Nike? What can they gain from Kaepernick? After all, there is no shortage of outrage and disgust directed towards them.
Shaquem Griffin was the story of the 2018 NFL Draft. Why? He has just one hand. He was overlooked by college recruiters coming out of high school, he became an All American for UCF. He wasn’t immediately invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but when he got there he stole the show. He should have been a second or third round pick, he wasn’t selected until the fifth. Now, he is the starting linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. He is now the role model for every athlete that has been told what they can’t do, every athlete with disabilities, every athlete who has been overlooked and written off, and every athlete that bets on themselves and works for it. Nike are growing his platform.
All of the athletes in this advert represent the fight for equality in every walk of life, and Nike are attaching themselves to that same fight and supporting their athletes along the way.
Is this the end of this movement? Of course not. The message has been sent and heard, now it is time to act. Those in support of Kaepernick’s protest, those in support of Nike’s new message have to rally together. Nike, Kaepernick, and all the athletes in this campaign have given this plight for equality a new driving force and slogan, so what now? “Just do it.”
On Monday 3rd September Nike dropped an image and
two sentences that sent a very powerful message to announce their 30th
anniversary campaign. A black and white photo of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Colin Kaepernick with nine words plainly typed across it: “Believe in
something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
Within minutes of being posted it had undoubtedly earned
immense numbers of interactions, and can we really be surprised? Such a high
profile company, the sole official uniform provider for the NFL no less, had
just blatantly endorsed a man who had been kept out of the NFL, disgraced by
the President of the United States and targeted with hate by millions of people
in America, and even some around the world. In fact, Nike hadn’t just endorsed
him, they had made him the face of their newest and celebratory “Just do it”
campaign.
What is the deal with Kaepernick and why is this controversial?
For those that aren’t aware, Kaepernick became a common name
in the US news cycle in late August 2016.
This team formation for the National Anthem is not Jeff Fisher approved. #HardKnocks pic.twitter.com/SqHHdw0aoj— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) August 27, 2016
Among the
49ers players (bottom center, in between Gatorade coolers) you can see Colin
Kaepernick sat down. This picture started a storm. People noticed Kaepernick
and his actions became the big story that evening. “What was Kaepernick doing?
Why was he sat down? That’s so disrespectful!”
Of course, Kaepernick had his reasons, but it wasn’t until two days
later that he finally commented on his action.
I'm going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change. When there's significant change and I feel that flag represents what it's supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it's supposed to, I'll stand. This stand wasn’t for me. This is because I’m seeing things happen to people that don’t have a voice, people that don’t have a platform to talk and have their voices heard, and effect change. So I’m in the position where I can do that and I’m going to do that for people that can’t. It's something that can unify this team. It's something that can unify this country. If we have these real conversations that are uncomfortable for a lot of people. If we have these conversations, there's a better understanding of where both sides are coming from. I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country. I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country. And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That’s not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody. That’s something that’s not happening. I’ve seen videos, I’ve seen circumstances where men and women that have been in the military have come back and been treated unjustly by the country they fought have for, and have been murdered by the country they fought for, on our land. That’s not right.
In the
three days after Kaepernick’s comments the story reached fever pitch. Many
players, fans and others came out in support; many players, fans, and others
came out in opposition. However, one opposing view was particularly
significant.
That
opinion belonged to Nate Boyer. Boyer was one of the feel good stories of the
NFL in 2015. A former United States Green Beret who walked onto the University
of Texas Longhorns football team, with no previous organized football
experience. He was a long snapper and, despite being cut before the regular
season, became a fan favourite of the Seahawks after being signed as an
undrafted free agent.
He penned
an open letter to Kaepernick that was published on armytimes.com on August 30. That
letter, which I thoroughly encourage you to read, hit several key points that
illustrated a large portion of America’s opinion on the protest. He also
addressed the issues that Kaepernick was protesting – racial and social
inequality.
The final
few paragraphs is when he really addressed what Kaepernick was doing.
I’m not judging you for standing up for what you believe in. It’s your inalienable right. What you are doing takes a lot of courage, and I’d be lying if I said I knew what it was like to walk around in your shoes. I’ve never had to deal with prejudice because of the color of my skin, and for me to say I can relate to what you’ve gone through is as ignorant as someone who’s never been in a combat zone telling me they understand what it’s like to go to war.Even though my initial reaction to your protest was one of anger, I’m trying to listen to what you’re saying and why you’re doing it. When I told my mom about this article, she cautioned me that "the last thing our country needed right now was more hate." As usual, she’s right. There are already plenty people fighting fire with fire, and it’s just not helping anyone or anything. So I’m just going to keep listening, with an open mind.I look forward to the day you're inspired to once again stand during our national anthem. I'll be standing right there next to you. Keep on trying … De Oppresso Liber.
(‘De
Oppresso Liber’ is the Army Special Forces motto, meaning: To Free the
Oppressed)
His letter
didn’t fall on deaf ears.
Before the
next 49ers game (September 1st), Kaepernick and Boyer met in San Diego after
Kaepernick invited Boyer to speak with him. Per Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the
pair talked for over 90 minutes about each other’s opinions and on how to reach
a compromise. Kaepernick even invited Boyer to be on the 49ers sideline during
the national anthem.
That
meeting created an image that will be forever associated with Kaepernick, the
NFL, and social and racial injustices.
We were talking to [Boyer] about how can we get the message back on track and not take away from the military, not take away from fighting for our country, but keep the focus on what the issues really are. And as we talked about it, we came up with taking a knee. Because there are issues that still need to be addressed and it was also a way to show more respect to the men and women who fight for this country. – Colin KaepernickThat weekend also saw other players join Kaepernick for the first time. Eric Reid joined Kaepernick on one knee for the 49ers, and a number of other players around the NFL sat for the anthem.
Between then (September 1st) and now a lot has happened, most of which honestly only complicated this issue. Long story short, the opposition to Kaepernick argued that it was disrespectful towards the military, the flag, the anthem and the country.
Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now, out. He’s fired. He’s fired!’ - Donald Trump
The debate moved on in this fashion as Kaepernick eventually became a free agent and subsequently never found a job. Sure, the Broncos claim they offered him a contract, but was it what Kaepernick deserved in a situation he’d want to go to? Not really. Since then, save a workout with the Seahawks and talk of signing with the Ravens, there has been no interest in Kaepernick. Instead, QBs like Drew Stanton, Connor Cook, Nathan Peterman, Austin Davis, Taylor Heinicke and others have gotten opportunities to be backups and even, inexplicably, started. Which brings us up to speed with Colin Kaepernick.
Colin Kaepernick and Nike come together
“Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” It’s certainly a powerful statement by Nike. It’s so powerful in fact, that it has the possibility to prompt significant, and possibly fairly severe reactions from many people. So, was this a wise statement by Nike?Right off the bat, “everything” may seem like an exaggeration in Kaepernick’s case – he made millions in the NFL, this new campaign will make him millions more. What’s more, something those opposed to Kaepernick like to point out, there are people dying fighting for their country, is that not sacrificing everything? They use this point to drive home their argument that Kaepernick is disrespecting every military veteran.
But is that to say Kaepernick hasn’t sacrificed everything that he worked tirelessly to achieve for much of his life? He worked his whole life to make it as a starting QB in the NFL. Something that only 32 people in the world can do at once. He had, after all, brought a team to the Super Bowl in 2012, and in the following few years had played some good football on poor teams. Now, because he exercised his right to peacefully protest a significant social justice issue, he is no longer in the NFL and his hard worked has been wiped out. “Sacrifice everything” isn’t meant to be taken completely literally.This is what sacrifice is all about. pic.twitter.com/UH8nFT8kH8— Mstr_Wonderful (@Mele0311) September 5, 2018
Nevertheless, the phrase “sacrificing everything” has triggered a pretty angry response from a lot of people. We have already seen tension caused by the issues Kaepernick is protesting boil over. Around America there have been marches driven by motives around race and equality, such as Black Lives Matter, and there have been counter-marches by white supremacist groups that have led to conflict and violence. The message Nike is spreading could be misconstrued by people of any opinion, and not positively. Could the message being misconstrued result in a rise in extremism? Or even does it simply encourage people to continue to refuse to see the other side of the argument?
The issues at hand shouldn’t be so difficult to resolve. It is about equality for all. 63 years after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus. 64 years since Martin Luther King began his civil rights movement. 51 years after the Detroit race riots. After so many minority groups have been subjected to sickening violence, abuse, segregation, and oppression. The fact that these issues are still prevalent is unacceptable. Thus, the time to be subtle, or even politically correct, is behind us. There must be a sense of urgency to create positive change.
Once Kaepernick became a free agent, the platform he had used to send his message to millions was gone. With Nike he has a platform that will reach billions. Now, people who had never been reached or effected by this movement know about Kaepernick, his cause has been given a new breath of life. He has new momentum to harness, to force those in power to bring about positive change. All the while applying pressure to and exposing those opposed.
Clearly, Kaepernick is set to gain a lot from this campaign. But what about Nike? What can they gain from Kaepernick? After all, there is no shortage of outrage and disgust directed towards them.
.@Nike Due to your support of C.K. in your coming adds, I as an American can no longer support your company. #boycottNike #IStandForOurFlag pic.twitter.com/5JxSMD8SSO— AlterAtYeshiva (@alteratyeshiva) September 4, 2018
Part of the immediate response to this campaign was the destruction of all things Nike. Disappointed fans took a stand against Nike by burning their $120+ trainers, cutting the Nike swoosh off their socks and shorts – of course forgetting the fact they’d already given Nike their money. Others made statements expressing their disappointment.Our Soundman just cut the Nike swoosh off his socks. Former marine. Get ready @Nike multiply that by the millions. pic.twitter.com/h8kj6RXe7j— John Rich (@johnrich) September 3, 2018
Happily for those who suggested Nike would come to regret using Colin Kaepernick woke up to the news that upon the opening of the Stock Market, Nike’s stock had dropped in value. However, what they failed to acknowledge was that every major sports brand had lost value. In fact, Nike hadn’t even lost the most. The below twitter exchange is quick to point that out (I would read the whole exchange, including Charles Robinson’s initial tweet).Serious NIKE ! Just lost my business ! This is coming from a guy & family who spends crap loads of money on your cloths and gear ! Bad bad idea with this CK deal !!! Sell cloths and sporting gear, don’t get into the political business ! pic.twitter.com/qWPxFlgZip— Richard Do (@Richard88396131) September 4, 2018
However, for every person who claims they will boycott Nike for their use of Kaepernick, there will be another person who seeks all the Nike merchandise they can find. Why? This campaign is Nike making themselves the brand that represents the fight for equality, and the brand that represents the athletes at the forefront of that fight. The ad, which will be airing plenty during sports broadcasts this week, including the NFL, illustrates that beautifully.Last time. #Nike: lost 2.7% the last two days. #Adidas: lost 4.3% the last two days. #Puma: lost 4.9% the last two days. #UnderArmour: lost 1.45% today. But you cherry-pick #Nike losses, pointing to Kaepernick. Meanwhile, you ignore slumping competitors. #IntellectualDishonesty https://t.co/PI3gxVbcLv— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) September 6, 2018
Serena Williams is possibly the biggest name in tennis right now. Her celebrity has surpassed that of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. She is now the role model for every girl who dreams of being a tennis player or for every child coming from poverty aiming higher than their surroundings. Nike are growing her platform.Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough. #justdoit pic.twitter.com/Wd5L42egV8— Nike (@Nike) September 5, 2018
Shaquem Griffin was the story of the 2018 NFL Draft. Why? He has just one hand. He was overlooked by college recruiters coming out of high school, he became an All American for UCF. He wasn’t immediately invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, but when he got there he stole the show. He should have been a second or third round pick, he wasn’t selected until the fifth. Now, he is the starting linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. He is now the role model for every athlete that has been told what they can’t do, every athlete with disabilities, every athlete who has been overlooked and written off, and every athlete that bets on themselves and works for it. Nike are growing his platform.
All of the athletes in this advert represent the fight for equality in every walk of life, and Nike are attaching themselves to that same fight and supporting their athletes along the way.
Is this the end of this movement? Of course not. The message has been sent and heard, now it is time to act. Those in support of Kaepernick’s protest, those in support of Nike’s new message have to rally together. Nike, Kaepernick, and all the athletes in this campaign have given this plight for equality a new driving force and slogan, so what now? “Just do it.”
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