How a Nike ad split America (and raised stocks)

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On Friday, the Nike stock hit a record all-time high, and Wall Street analysts say it did so because of a controversial ad campaign with Colin Kapernick.

Overall, the stock recorded a 4% increase in advertising traffic in early September, and today the Wall Street Journal analyzes the brand boycott fiasco and how history and math show that practice can do little harm.

The latest campaign for its 30th anniversary included several high-profile athletes, including LeBron James and Serena Williams.

"Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything #JustDoIt", was the message that caused a stir on social media. However, the red cloth was the athlete who a year ago had become an issue again as he protested against the injustices suffered by African-Americans in the USA, kneeling during the rejection of the American national anthem before the start of the games.

Some started calling for a Nike boycott and burning their shoes. Colin Kapernick's name appeared 4 million times on social media in 48 hours and most of the comments were negative for both him and the company.

But Nike showed how brave it is and did not back down for a moment, even when some whispered that the echo would be very negative financially, even when Trump commented that it was the wrong choice…

Shortly after the initial release of the ad campaign, Nike's share initially fell by 3%, but gradually the climate reversed.

Dozens of celebrities began to take a stand, the media began to analyze what was happening and suddenly Nike's courage had begun to bear fruit.

According to Apex Marketing Group, within 24 hours of the announcement of the agreement with Kapernik, Nike won a $ 43 million media exposure. 75% of the reactions were positive and neutral, while 25% were negative.

The shares have now recovered and exceeded the previous levels while there was an increase of online sales by almost 31% in a single weekend.

In a CNBC report, some Wall Street analysts said the ad, along with a surge in likes and followers of the company on Facebook and Instagram, may be responsible for the recent increase in share and the campaign is largely positive for its sales and brand.

The campaign was also widely supported by young people, according to an SSN Omnibus poll on CNN, with 44% of 18-34 year olds supporting Nike's decision to use Kaepernick, while only 26% of people over 65 years supported the decision.

However, according to CNN, people under the age of 35 make up two-thirds of Nike customers.

Some analysts estimate that if Nike had withdrawn its campaign or chosen diplomacy in the face of an impending crisis, then it would have lost the "game" but did not, and now counts profits and has passed a communication endurance test.

Colin Kaepernick: who is the athlete behind Nike's bold new campaign?

His name made the rounds of the world yesterday, when Nike, in an unusually bold move for a company of its range, announced that Colin Kaepernick would be the face of its new advertising campaign.

The American football athlete, who started a particular form of protest against the injustices suffered by African Americans in the US, kneeling during the hearing of the American national anthem before the start of the games, has created equally fanatical supporters and supporters. of the latter the president of his country- and rightly is among the great African-American athletes who took a stand for their beliefs with great personal and professional value.

Born in 1987 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Collin Kaepernick was already in his fifth professional season in 2016, competing with the San Francisco 49ers as a quarterback when he began to kneel during the U.S. National Anthem, which is played before the start. all games of american football.

I will not pay attention to show pride in a flag or a country that oppresses blacks and colored people. For me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish of me to roll my eyes. There are corpses in the streets and there are people who kill and are not punished.

As he explained, this symbolic move was directed against the injustices suffered by African Americans in the USA, at a time when the murders of young black men by police, often with funny - or even without - excuses, monopolized the news of the big media and were the reason for the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I will not pay attention to show pride in a flag or a country that oppresses blacks and people of color. For me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish of me to roll my eyes. "There are corpses in the streets and there are people who kill and are not punished," he said at the time.

His move was embraced by many league players - in a sport with a long tradition of black athletes - and provoked a terrifying storm of reactions, from ordinary citizens to famous politicians, who consider the moment of listening to the national anthem sacred and that the protest is directed against the nation.

Colin Kaepernick Nike NFL, Nike
Nike, in an unusually bold move for a company of its range, announced that Colin Kaepernick will be the face of its new advertising campaign.

Nike, in an unusually bold move for a company of its range, announced that Colin Kaepernick will be the face of its new advertising campaign.

Donald Trump put the issue high on his agenda as a candidate for the presidency and did not stop dealing with him even as President, openly and publicly urging the owners of the championship teams to fire any player who protests. The organizing authority announced that it will impose a fine on the teams whose players kneel, allowing any athlete who wants to protest to do so in the… locker room.

At this point it is worth noting that Kaepernick is a mulatto, a child of a black father and a white mother, who after being abandoned at the age of 19 by Kaeperick's father, gave him up for adoption. Kaepernick grew up in the family of a white couple with two more white children.

Kaepernick, who by chance (?) Did not find a team this season to continue his career, is part of a long tradition of African-American athletes who paid dearly for their political stance.

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African Americans protest the sentencing of Mohammed Ali.

Among the best-known examples we certainly find Mohammed Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time, who refused to enlist and fight in the Vietnam War stating "I know nothing about Vietnam and I have nothing to do with the Vietcong. At least they do not call me a scumbag. "

He was sentenced to 5 years in prison (although he eventually managed to stay out of prison), was stripped of his champion title and barred from participating in any match for three years.

Another famous protest was that of African-American runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who won gold and bronze medals in the 200m at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, a few months after the assassination of African-American leader Martin Luther King raised their fists on the podium while listening to the American national anthem, honoring the "Black Power" movement. The stadium erupted in disapproval, they themselves had to flee and were immediately expelled from the Olympic team.

The next step in Kaepernick's professional career seems more uncertain than ever, as many Americans have been tearing down Nike clothes and shoes since yesterday and posting evidence on their social media pages calling for a boycott of the company.

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Many Americans are destroying Nike clothes and shoes and posting evidence on their social media pages, calling for a boycott of the company.

Many Americans are destroying Nike clothes and shoes and posting evidence on their social media pages, calling for a boycott of the company.