Kaepernick's first Nike ad debuted yesterday when he tweeted it and put it on his Instagram accountNIKE
Colin Kaepernick signed a "new, multiyear deal with Nike that makes him a face of the 30th anniversary of the sports apparel company’s 'Just Do It' campaign," according to Draper & Belson of the N.Y. TIMES. The first ad from Nike debuted yesterday afternoon when Kaepernick "tweeted it" and put it on his Instagram account. Nike will also "donate money to Kaepernick’s 'Know Your Rights' campaign." Kaepernick and Nike already had a deal, dating to when he entered the league in '11, but it was "expiring soon and has now been extended." The new Kaepernick ad features a "close-up, black-and-white photograph of his face, with copy that references his kneeling and his belief that his activism is keeping him out of the league." The ad reads: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” The new contract was "negotiated by Kaepernick’s lawyers, Mark Geragos and Ben Meiselas." Serena Williams, LeBron James, Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr., Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin and skateboarder Lacey Baker are also "part of the 'Just Do It' anniversary campaign." Geragos said of Kaepernick's involvement, "I give Nike credit for understanding that he’s not just an athlete, he has become an icon" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/4). ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted, "Nike sources say the company has no plans to give Colin Kaepernick a signature shoe, nor an extensive clothing line, as had been speculated" (TWITTER.com, 9/4).
OTHER PLAYERS FOR KAEPERNICK: YAHOO SPORTS' Charles Robinson writes Nike apparently "wasn’t the only shoe company that eyed a larger platform for Kaepernick." Sources said that Adidas and Puma were among "multiple brands that had conversations about potentially building around Kaepernick if Nike failed to renew his deal." One shoe industry exec said, "We talked about Colin in March. A lot, actually." The source added, "It’s apparent that, you know, even though he isn’t playing, he’s still connecting with a lot of people. I also think he’s exponentially more popular, and in some cases unpopular, than he ever was in the NFL" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/4). FS1's Skip Bayless said of the deal, "I don't know how you can miss this one" ("Undisputed," FS1, 9/4).
APPEALING TO TEENAGERS: ESPN.com's Rovell noted Nike kept Kaepernick "on its endorsement roster over the years" but had "not used him in the past two years." Nike VP/Brand Marketing for North America Gino Fisanotti said that the new campaign is meant to "specifically speak to 15- to 17-year olds" (ESPN.com, 9/3). ESPN's Mike Golic Jr. said, "You have Nike who (has) looked at (Kaepernick) and said, ‘We’re still very successful, especially in the younger demo, but we’ve ceded a little bit of ground to Adidas, Under Armour.’ Also, a lot of these other shoe and apparel lines have made up ground on them in a way that’s made them uncomfortable. They see Colin Kaepernick as potentially a gateway back into that group." ESPN's Trey Wingo said Nike's targeted demo is "fine but most 15 to 17-year-olds aren’t going to be the ones with the capital to spend and buy the stuff they want to buy." Wingo: "That’s coming from the 40 to 50-year-olds who are the parents." ESPN's Mike Golic: "It’s all about looking forward and where do those 15 to 17, 18, 19-year-olds have an impact? Social media. Snapchat, Twitter. Way more than the 40 and 50-year-olds have an impact on that part" (“Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio, 9/4).
GOING AGAINST THE SHIELD? PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio wrote it is a "gutsy move for Nike" to sign a new deal with Kaepernick, given that it "holds the official apparel deal with the NFL." However, it will be "difficult for the NFL to retaliate," given that the contract runs through '28 (PROFOOTBALLTALK.com, 9/3). A Nike spokesperson said, "Nike has a long-standing relationship with the NFL and works extensively with the league on all campaigns that use current players. Colin isn’t currently employed by an NFL team and has no contractual obligation to the NFL" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 9/4).
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE: BLOOMBERG NEWS' Bruce Einhorn noted following the announcement, the hashtags #BoycottNike and #JustBurnIt "started trending on Twitter." Some angry consumers even "posted photos and videos of themselves burning their Nike shoes and other gear to protest the company using the divisive figure" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 9/3). FS1's Nick Wright said there are people that will "redouble their support for Nike or folks that used to be with Adidas or Under Armour fans will say, 'I will support Nike in support of Kaepernick.' Also, Nike is looking on a much longer time horizon than the next quarterly balance sheet and the next stock market open" ("First Things First," FS1, 9/4). YAHOO SPORTS' Frank Schwab wrote it is an "interesting decision" to re-sign Kaepernick. No other athlete "produces the same emotional response as Kaepernick." Some will "rip Nike and claim they’ll never buy their products again." Others who support Kaepernick will "gladly shift their dollars to Nike" for its support of the QB, who is "viewed as a hero to many for standing up for social issues even if it meant the NFL ultimately would freeze him out" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/3).
DIVING RIGHT IN: NBC's Hoda Kotb said it is "interesting how Nike went straight into" the anthem controversy. However, NBC's Craig Melvin said, "A company who's been doing it as long as Nike has been doing it and as well as they have been doing it -- presumably, they’ve done some market research, so they would know. We’ll see how it plays out” (“Today,” NBC, 9/4). ESPN's Damien Woody: "You're not going to make a decision like this off the whim. They've done all the calculations, all the research possible to make a calculated decision as to have Colin Kaepernick as a face of this campaign" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 9/4). PFT's Florio notes Nike is "making the business decision to do business" with Kaepernick and it is "possible this is going to blow up on them, but I don't think they went down this road lightly." Florio: "They have decided it is good for business, that Colin Kaepernick is good for business and they're willing to take whatever heat they get from those who will huff and puff about Nike" (PFT," NBCSN, 9/4). CBS' Gayle King said Nike is "sending a very clear message about how they feel about this" ("CBS News This Morning," 9/4). ABC's George Stephanopoulos called the deal a "bold move by Nike" ("GMA," ABC, 9/4).
SWOOSH, THERE IT IS: ADWEEK's Doug Zanger writes the deal is a "nice bit of swagger, reminiscent of recent work" for Serena Williams, and "harkens back to Nike’s unique form of advertising that helped build the brand over the past few decades" (ADWEEK.com, 9/4). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes this is "not some small, left-leaning company that has decided Kaepernick is on the side of angels in this fight." It is one of the world’s "largest conglomerates, a setter of trends and arbiter of what’s cool." For Nike to choose Kaepernick "sends a message" even Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones "cannot ignore" (USA TODAY, 9/4). Longtime NFL reporter Vito Stellino tweeted, "Nike realizes that some day @Kaepernick7 will be remembered as a civil rights hero while many of today's QBs will be forgotten and the owners will be remembered as small minded and petty. You won't be able to write history of NFL without mentioning Kaepernick" (TWITTER.com, 9/3).
MORE THAN FOOTBALL: In N.Y., Ken Belson noted last week, the arbitrator hearing Kaepernick’s grievance "dismissed the NFL’s bid to throw out the case." This sets the stage for owners and league execs to be "questioned in a trial-like setting." Kaepernick faces an "uphill legal battle, but even proceeding to a full hearing amounts to a victory because it allows his lawyers to continue to search for evidence of collusion, while keeping Kaepernick’s name in the news during the NFL season, when attention on football is at its peak." There is a "sensible and common solution to get out of this jam: a settlement." This, however, is "not a normal case." Both sides appear to be "fighting about something larger than dollars." Kaepernick appears "interested in continuing to raise awareness about police brutality and other forms of social injustice, not about winning monetary restitution" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/1).
