Athlete activist Colin Kaepernick is the most notable face fronting Nike’s new 30th anniversary, integrated ‘Just Do It’ campaign.
Several stars from the sportswear giant’s endorser stable appear in the creative, but it the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback (who has been without a team since he kick-started the NFL player protest against racial injustice and police brutality in the USA by kneeling during the US national anthem – see case study) who garnered the most attention as the face of the campaign.
The campaign, created with long-time agency Wieden+Kennedy, debuted on 3 September across Nike’s social channels with multiple pieces led by a simple, powerful black and white image of Kaepernick’s determined face staring ahead with the copy “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt”
The work is also amplified across the player’s own personal channels too.
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018
The next strand of this major new advertising campaign, which coincides with the start of the new NFL season, was a spearhead ‘Dream Crazy’ television spot debuting during the NFL’s season opener on 6 September.
The two-minute film, which was initially posted by Kaepernick prior to airing on national TV in the USA during the game between the champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons, is a sprwaling, multi-athlete, smartly cut spot set to the quarterback’s narration which aims to reflect the heart of the brand’s ‘Just Do It’ spirit.
Prior to the commercial’s debut, Nike tweeted out a set of simple posts each containing key lines from the ad.
When they talk about the greatest team in the history of the sport, make sure it’s your team.
— Nike (@Nike) September 5, 2018
Don’t become the best basketball player on the planet. Be bigger than basketball.
— Nike (@Nike) September 5, 2018
All of the supporting creative pieces celebrate the spirit of the brand and the athletes it works with through its long running and iconic ‘Just Do It’ slogan.
The campaign, which follows on from Nike renewing its endorser partnership with Kaepernick, spans content across several other platforms (including billboards, television and online), plus the brand will create a new apparel line for Kaepernick (including a signature shoe) and contribute to his ‘Know Your Rights’ charity.
The anniversary campaign also includes the likes of tennis star Serena Williams (“Girls from Compton don’t play tennis. They own it”), plus Seattle Seahawks rookie linebacker Shaquem Griffin and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
It’s only a crazy dream until you do it. #justdoit pic.twitter.com/rrilx0nL8U
— Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) September 1, 2018
Williams certainly strongly supports Nike’s work.
Especially proud to be a part of the Nike family today. #justdoit pic.twitter.com/GAZtkAIwbk
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) September 4, 2018
The move sees Nike take sides in the ongoing NFL anthem debate by putting the man who began the kneeling protest against social inequality at the heart of what is a values-based brand campaign.
A Nike statement described Kaepernick as “one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation” and Gino Fisanotti, Nike’s VP Brand for North America added “he has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward”.
Kaepernick began his protest back in 2016 when he sat for the US anthem in a pre-season game. Then, in subsequent games, he began kneeling: an act which began a movement amongst other players in protest police brutality and social inequities.
The national debate has raged since that moment: with Donald Trump being the leading, most vocal and fiercest critics of players who kneel.
Nike is, of course, no stranger to marketing controversy.
After all, this is the brand that ran high profile campaigns around the likes of drugs cheats Lance Armstrong and Maria Sharapova, as well as Tiger Woods and even Oscar Pistorious (see case study).
Trump, who last year said that any player in the NFL who knelt during the anthem was a “son of a bitch”, responded publicly to Nike’s campaign.
“I think it’s a terrible message that [Nike] are sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there’s a reason for them doing it,” Trump said.
“But I think as far as sending a message, I think it’s a terrible message and a message that shouldn’t be sent. There’s no reason for it.”
The president did acknowledge that Nike and Kaepernick had a right to express themselves.
“In another way, it is what this country is all about, that you have certain freedoms to do things that other people think you shouldn’t do, but I personally am on a different side of it.”
Trump also mentioned that Nike pay him “a lot of rent” as its flagship New York store is in a building owned by Trump.
Last year the company announced it would leave the property.
Kaepernick, who was recently given Amnesty International’s top honour, has been without a team since he opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017.
He has recently filed a grievance claim against NFL team owners arguing that they have conspired not to hire him because of the protests and the case is set for trial.
Comment:
Within just two hours after the debut post, Kaepernick’s tweet had already generated 56,000 retweets, 127,740 likes and many comments.
While the brand saw a staggering 1400% increase in Nike social mentions within 24 hours of the initial social post.
Not to mention the 2% drop in the company’s share price the day after the campaign launched, balanced against a 31% rise in online sales during the matching week in 2017.
Figures aside, this is a powerful and bold a statement ad campaign!
Perhaps the most powerful and most discussed sports related spot since 84 & Lumber’s ‘Journey’ 2017 Super Bowl campaign (see case study)?
As well as a piece of marketing, the campaign is essentially a commitment to Nike’s values and a solidification of its status and standing as a brand
Surely it’s the morally right move too – as well a brave decision: one not without risk – especially considering the inevitable Trump Twitter response and social backlash (as well as social support).
Nike marketing >>> pic.twitter.com/z3giGkKvq2
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) September 3, 2018
This is the dumbest move @nike has ever made in the history of its brand. pic.twitter.com/KshvmdGajT
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 3, 2018
Kaepernick has been a Nike athlete for seven years and the brand has maintained its their relationship, albeit quietly, with him through the protest.
But now Nike has decided, whether or not he ever sets foot on an NFL field again, that Kaepernick will be a public-facing Nike athlete ambassador
Companies, especially US publicly traded ones, so often adopt a cynically apathetic, amoral approach to politics and socio-economic issues in order not to alienate consumers and thus maintain profits.
Whether this campaign is the result of Nike’s famed market research department having tested the economics of the campaign, or whether it is a simple matter of the board deciding to do what it knows to be the right thing we may never know.
Either way, Nike is now a brand putting its marketing where its mouth is.
At last!
Links:
Nike
https://www.youtube.com/user/nike
https://www.instagram.com/nike/
Kaepernick
https://twitter.com/Kaepernick7
Wieden+Kennedy
