Rejani King
Staff Writer
PC: Carolinian Opinions
On September 3, 2018, Nike and Colin Kaepernick announced their partnership to support social change. This campaign celebrates Nike’s thirtieth anniversary for the famous “Just Do It” slogan. The cover art features a black-and-white photo of Kaepernick’s face with the words, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
This quote deliberately signifies what he’s faced because of standing up for social injustice and racial inequality. Colin Kaepernick is currently a free agent and has not been signed to an NFL team because of his efforts to bring social change. Kaepernick began protesting during the national anthem in 2016.
I, along with many people around the world, stand with Kaepernick because America needs a change in regards to how we treat Black citizens and people of color. The way they are treated is violent, and Kaepernick’s efforts signify the change that is necessary for America. People of color are discriminated against for merely existing, as seen in many instances of police brutality. This is why there is a need for people like Kaepernick to use their platform.
Kaepernick has shown, along with many other athletes, a passion for fighting racial injustice that has garnered support around the world. According to reports from several news sites, he is a part of a long-term advertising campaign by Nike from now until the year of 2028.
The campaign seeks to show young athletes that the company is committed to supporting social change.
The Nike partnership with Colin Kaepernick is incredibly important, because we need brands like this who are not afraid of backlash and truly want to stand behind the efforts being made to create change in our society. Of course, brands do not want to lose revenue, but what happens when you put that aside to support a cause that is necessary for our country? A temporary loss in revenue is essential to creating social change, and creating a platform for such an important topic. Even more, according to Forbes, their online sales have increased by 31 percent in the days following the campaign. Not only is the campaign important, but it’s profitable as well.
Overall, Nike’s collaboration with Colin Kaepernick is powerful. With the immense amount of discrimination and violence people of color face daily, Nike creating a partnership with Colin Kaepernick shows that there is a brand out there who cares. According to Nike themselves, they not only want to appeal more to their customers but hope to also instill pride in their customers by backing the causes they are passionate about. Even though Nike is using Kaepernick’s face to enhance a profit margin, they seem to be helping to create actual change for those who experience the discrimination, violence and injustice that he is fighting for.
Categories: Opinions
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