The NIKE Drop

Nike stock drops three percent as Colin Kaepernick was the face of an ad campaign.

Kaitlyn Bateh, Staff Reporter

         Colin Kaepernick sparks controversy as he decided to become the face of the Nike’s new ad campaign. Two seasons ago, Kaepernick made the choice to take a knee during the national anthem to bring attention to police brutality as starting quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. Response to the ad created a debate whether Nike’s choice in making their relationship with Kaepernick public or if it was a good business decision overall.

         According to Edison Trends, Nike online sales grew 31% from Sunday through Tuesday, after facing a brief decline. This growth was proven better than the 17% increase that occurred this time last year. Edison received this data after analyzing purchases from 3 million Americans.

         Nike’s new ad campaign celebrates the 30 year anniversary of their “Just Do It” slogan. A black and white photo of Kaepernick with the words “Believe in Something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” became the new icon for this anniversary. Nike also released a 90 second commercial featuring clips of famous athletes including Serena Williams and LeBron James. The ad also included a voiceover and appearance of Kaepernick.

         This ad, titled “Dream Crazy”, has already received over 21 million views on YouTube and has accumulated over 16,000 comments on Nike’s channel.