Nike Takes a Knee with Kaepernick


 Image result for colin kaepernick nike ad


In 2016, Colin Kaepernick took a stand against the racism occurring in America.  During the national anthem of an NFL game, he knelt on the sidelines to peacefully protest his views on racial injustice.  His actions left the country divided, some were in support of his protest, while others felt it was disrespectful towards the veterans that fought for their country.  Kaepernick was later fired from the San Francisco 49ers.  Recently, the company Nike responded to the uproar and hired Colin Kaepernick for their brand. He is now the face of Nike’s ad, where they promote believing in and sacrificing everything to accomplish your goals.  

Nike’s decision to use Colin Kaepernick as the face of their latest campaign was met with both anger and celebration.  After the company released the ad, many angry sports fans retaliated by destroying Nike apparel.  Videos were posted on the internet of people burning their shoes and tearing the ‘swoosh’ logo off socks. Nonetheless, Kaepernick started a movement across the country, resulting in people talking about the issue.  This will hopefully lead to change being made across the nation.


Colin Kaepernick drew attention to the ongoing issue of racism in America, specifically during police cases.  Racial profiling of Black youth is becoming an ongoing issue in police stop-and-search cases that needs to stop.  Thanks to Kaepernick, his peaceful protest sparked a conversation about how the issue can be solved.  He sacrificed his career to prove a point, demonstrating his courage and determination to make a change.  In my opinion, I don’t think Nike was trying to turn a profit. If their motive was only to make money, they could have hired any other black athlete to be the face of their campaign.  Nike knew that the Colin Kaepernick advertisement would cause controversy and would get people talking about the issue at hand.  Therefore, I fully support Nike’s decision to hire Kaepernick for their brand.  

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