Nike Doubles Down on Racial Politics With Their Latest Ad
The last time Nike found itself prominently in the headlines, it was because of its 30th anniversary ad campaign featuring the divisive Colin Kaepernick.
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018
Prominent athletes from all corners of the sports world, including Tiger Woods, Simone Biles and LeBron James, had something to say about the ad campaign.
Many everyday Americans also had some strong feelings on the campaign, with many calling for boycotts of Nike products considering Kaepernick’s polarizing rhetoric and attacks on the police.
After an initial dip in its stocks, Nike’s financials swung back the other way in a major way. It didn’t take long for its stock to rebound and surge.
Perhaps that is why Nike is dipping back into a familiar bag of tricks with another sweeping campaign focused on racial politics.
Soccer star Raheem Sterling, who plays for the Manchester City soccer club in England, recently made waves after taking to social media to denounce the treatment of young, black soccer players by both fans and the media.
“This young black kid is looked at in a bad light,” Sterling posted in response to a critical headline from the U.K. Daily Mail. “Which helps fuel racism an aggressive behaviour, so for all the news papers that don’t understand why people are racist in this day and age all i have to is have a second thought about fair publicity an give all players an equal chance.”
As ESPN reports, Sterling was the alleged victim of racial abuse from Chelsea soccer fans. Sterling mentioned in his Instagram post that he expected “no better.”
Seizing on the headlines that Sterling was creating with his comments, Nike launched a social media advertising campaign that focused on the Manchester City star, according to the U.K. Telegraph. Sterling posted the Kaepernick-esque photo to his Instagram.
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“Speaking up doesn’t always make life easier,” the ad reads. “But easy never changed anything.”
It’s a curious move from Nike.
On the one hand, despite the public backlash, the Kaepernick campaign seems to have been good business for the apparel giant.
But on the other hand, is this something Nike really wants to be known for? Wouldn’t it seem more prudent to be synonymous with high-end sporting goods apparel than racially charged politics?
It’ll be fascinating to see if Nike’s latest gambit pays off.
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