Nike’s Boldest Campaign
Nike is known for being at the top of their industry for advertising. With their use of athlete endorsments and captivating video commercials, they stand out. One particular ad campaign in 2018 ran with Colin Kaepernick, the football player who first started kneeling during the national anthom to stand against police brutality. They campaign initially shocked the country. It went viral almost instantly. There were even videos of people burning their nike gear out of outrage. Nike saw a 3% decrease in share price after the campaign aired. This contributed to a $4 billion loss for the company shortly after. But within the next couple months the company’s share price was up 36% for the year and 5% up since the airing of the ad. This showed Nike profits of $6 billion! The campaign was a bold one for sure. Nike executives did not initially want to air the ad because they were afraid of upsetting the NFL (who they have many brand deals with) and many of their fans. But after the airing their tactics paid off and showed them profits. This is one of the best campaign moves I have seen. Many would of considered this move advertising suicide, since they started to get into politics a little, but while they lost a small fan base they gained a larger one. Nike products were selling fast within the months after the airing. The commercial was powerful and inspiring to many. They motivated the youth and used many influencers to do so. Lebron James, Alex Morgan, and Colin Kaepernick are just a few of the big influencers featured. And the narration is perfect for the campaign ad. This was an incredible campaign that showed their boldness and creativity. Click the link below if you have yet to see the connercial that aired.
