As the company announced Kaepernick, becoming the face of its ‘Just Do It’ 30th anniversary campaign, some people cheered while others burned their shoes and ripped their socks. US President Donald Trump too slammed the company.
He was quoted by the DailyCaller as saying: “'I think it's a terrible message. Nike is a tenant of mine. They pay a lot of rent.”
In a wave of reaction, those who were against the idea, started a new campaign by burning their Nike apparels and posting the images and videos of burning shoes, tee-shirts and ripped off socks.
The controversy:
Colin kaepernick the former San Francisco 49ers player in the National Football League, had stirred a huge controversy after he demonstrated his protest against racial discrimination by kneeling down during the country’s national anthem.
In the third pre-season game of 2016 season, he was noticed sitting down during the playing of national anthem. In the final pre-season, he chose to kneel and not sit down unlike before, during the playing of country’s national anthem, drawing huge flak from across the country for showing disrespect to the nation. As per reports, he said that he would not stand up to show pride in a flag that “oppresses black people”.
People divided over Nike’s campaign:
As Nike roped in Kaepernick for its campaign, people across the country started burning Nike’s products to show their protest.
There were many who commended Nike for standing for what it believed in, including Tennis star Serena Williams who signed onto the new ad campaign alongside Kaepernick. Former C.I.A. director John O. Brennan also showed support to Nike.