Seriously, what was Nike thinking?
Right off the bat, let’s make one thing perfectly clear: huge corporations rarely do business from the heart. Social stances they take are almost always done for the sake of duping sentimental customers into buying their wares.
I’m assuming that was the motive behind Nike’s new ad campaign featuring failed former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. (RELATED: NFL Legend Jim Brown Rips Kaepernick: ‘I Don’t Desecrate My Flag’.)
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018
Nike had to know that backlash was coming, especially given all the anger Kaepernick incited by refusing to stand during the National Anthem. And backlash came quickly, as thousands of patriots announced their intention to boycott Nike:
Ya’ll aren’t real bright, @Nike…It looks like you would have learned by now not to mess with American patriots. Unlike most liberals out there, we actually have JOBS which =’s money to spend. How’d the left’s pathetic attempt to boycott #InNOutBurger work out? #NikeBoycott
— Rebekah Worsham (@RebekahWorsham) September 4, 2018
#BoycottNike @Nike You hate the national anthem I’m done with all Nike products.
— Mark (@MarkSuarezSr) September 4, 2018
Liberal, Anti-American corporate leaders will only learn the error of their ways when they lose money due to their skewed convictions. #BoycottNike
— Montgomery Granger (@mjgranger1) September 4, 2018
Boycott @Nike #JustDoIt#BoycottNike pic.twitter.com/G2G73oQelq
— Robbin Young (@Robbin_Young) September 4, 2018
Nike’s stock also dipped shortly after the ad announcement. From Reuters:
Shares of Nike Inc (NKE.N) fell nearly 2 percent on Tuesday as calls for a boycott of the sportswear giant gained traction on social media after it chose Colin Kaepernick as a face for adverts marking the 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” slogan.
Nike shares dip as Kaepernick ad spurs boycott https://t.co/pYbfHHmUHg
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) September 4, 2018
Some folks have even taken to burning their Nike shoes and destroying the brand’s clothing to protest the decision:
First the @NFL forces me to choose between my favorite sport and my country. I chose country. Then @Nike forces me to choose between my favorite shoes and my country. Since when did the American Flag and the National Anthem become offensive? pic.twitter.com/4CVQdTHUH4
— Sean Clancy (@sclancy79) September 3, 2018
Our Soundman just cut the Nike swoosh off his socks. Former marine. Get ready @Nike multiply that by the millions. pic.twitter.com/h8kj6RXe7j
— John Rich (@johnrich) September 3, 2018
Nike has a choice to make: Either it continues featuring Kaepernick in its ads, or it actually tries to appeal to more than just hard-left activists. This is needlessly controversial for a company that rarely seeks bad publicity.
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Regardless of Nike’s decision, this contains a good lesson for conservatives: the heads of many corporations aren’t afraid to insult Americans who value patriotism if it means adding to their bottom line. This isn’t just a fight over a quarterback who hasn’t seen any professional action in over a year. It’s a fight for the culture of our country.
