Nike gear torched as it signs race protest quarterback
PROTESTERS have burned Nike merchandise after the brand announced Colin Kaepernick as a face of its new advertising campaign.
Shares in the sportswear giant fell by three per cent following its choice of the American football player for the 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” slogan.
Kaepernick, 30, was the first National Football League (NFL) player to protest against racial injustice and police brutality by kneeling during the American national anthem in 2016.
Other players followed Kaepernick’s lead by “taking a knee”, resulting in criticism from President Donald Trump, who suggested players who refuse to stand for the national anthem “shouldn’t be in the country”.
Nike called the quarterback “one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation” as they announced him as a face of the anniversary campaign.
Over 30,000 people were tweeting with the hashtag #Nikeboycott yesterday. Many posted images of themselves burning and ripping their Nike trainers and clothing.
The Arkansas governor, Mike Huckabee, has added his voice to the boycott campaign, saying: “I will not be wearing any Nike products … I guess Nike will now focus on making knee pads”.
However, retail analysts were divided on whether the controversy around the campaign would be a commercial positive.matt Powell, a senior adviser with market research firm NPD Group, said: “Old, angry white guys are not a core demographic for Nike.”