A smattering of angry conservatives burning and cutting up their Nike attire hasn’t exactly stopped the massive global company in their latest advertising efforts. As part of the company’s 30th anniversary campaign, they’ve incorporated pro-football player Colin Kaepernick and now released the first video ad featuring the athlete.
In the segment, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback narrates a video montage featuring an array of individuals overcoming obstacles to get ahead. In one example, a young man born as a refugee in Africa — Alphonso Davies — plays for the Canadian national soccer team, and in another, Shaquem Griffin prepares to play (and plays) for the Seattle Seahawks with one hand.
Kaepernick says:
‘If people say your dreams are crazy, if they laugh at what you think you can do, good. Stay that way. Because what nonbelievers fail to understand is that calling a dream crazy is not an insult, it’s a compliment… Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything… So don’t ask if your dreams are crazy. Ask if they’re crazy enough.’
Watch below. The ad also features the stories of athletes LeBron James and Serena Williams.
Kaepernick lost his spot in the NFL after the 2016-2017 season, after a season marked by his peaceful protests during the national anthem on behalf of black Americans struggling against the weight of police brutality. Some like to whine that no one should be concerned about police brutality while issues persist within the black community itself, but how are they supposed to be expected to move forward if the very fabric of society that’s supposed to be supportive is rotten?
That’s the question that got Kaepernick pushed out of the league; his suit alleging that NFL owners colluded to keep him off the field was recently approved to go to trial.
The 2018-2019 NFL season will be starting this week, and according to reports, the Nike ad featuring Kaepernick is set to air during the opening game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Philadelphia Eagles this Thursday night. NBC has confirmed that Nike did buy an ad spot for the match-up.
In other words, the NFL interests who might hope Kaepernick and his allies just fade away are most certainly not seeing their wishes come true.
President Donald Trump himself is among those who have complained about the persistence of Kaepernick’s protest movement.
Wednesday morning — the day before the NFL season opener — he ranted on Twitter:
‘Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. I wonder if they had any idea that it would be this way? As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG!’
In reality, Nike, of course, understood that criticism over their choice to include Kaepernick in their ad campaign would come — and they’re also pressing on, no matter if the president adds them to his list of dead and failing (and so on) companies. The issue of police violence against black Americans — and other minorities — hasn’t gone away, and those concerned with putting a stop to it won’t either.
Featured Image via YouTube screenshot
