Politics

Whiny Racists Are Complaining About Nike’s New Ad Campaign And It’s Ridiculous

Destroying your own clothes to own the left.

by Max Koslowski  4 September 2018
Nike Colin Kaepernick

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Nike has launched a controversial new advertising campaign that places former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick front and centre — and America’s whiny racists have gone berserk.

Kaepernick was a big-deal NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers before he famously took a knee during the pre-game national anthem in protest of police brutality that disproportionately impacted people of colour in America.

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Kaepernick’s quiet protest caused a huge shitstorm in the US as players from a number of sports followed his lead by taking a knee before their own matches. The controversy has sharply divided Americans, with right-wing commentators claiming it’s disrespectful to the flag, as progressives defend the players’ free speech.

Naturally, US President Donald Trump saw an opportunity to stoke racial division by repeatedly weighing in on the debate, calling the players “sons of bitches” and starting his own war with the NFL.

The controversy all-but-ended Kaepernic’s career, but made him a martyr for progressives and free speech advocates who believed he was the victim of a targeted boycott by the NFL.

It turns out Nike has had Kapernick on its books since 2011, but hasn’t used him in advertising as the controversy has played out over the last two years. Until now. This is the ad:

And this is how some people are protesting Nike’s move:

But heaps of people have also leaped to Nike’s defence.

The ad campaign coincides with the 30th anniversary of Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan, and also features tennis legend Serena Williams, and NFL players Odell Beckham Jr. and Shaquem Griffin.

Nike has a sponsor relationship with the NFL, and plans to keep it:

“Nike has a long-standing relationship with the NFL and works extensively with the league on all campaigns that use current NFL players. Colin is not currently employed by an NFL team and has no contractual obligations to the NFL,” a Nike spokesperson said.

Self-destructive boycotts have become a bit of a theme over in the United States. earlier in the year, when coffee maker Keurig decided to stop advertising on Sean Hannity’s evening Fox News program. In response, Hannity supporters posted videos of them smashing their coffee machines.

Trump is yet to weigh in on this most recent boycott, but it’s surely only a matter of time.