Nike made Colin Kaepernick the face of their 30th anniversary 'Just Do It' campaign with the line 'Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.' #BoycottNike trended worldwide. Revenue grew by $6 billion.
The Full Story
On September 3, 2018 — the eve of the NFL season — Nike posted a close-up of Colin Kaepernick's face on social media with text reading: 'Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.' Kaepernick had been effectively blacklisted from the NFL for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. The backlash was immediate and spectacular: #BoycottNike became the top trending hashtag. Videos of people cutting the Swoosh off their socks and burning their Nike shoes proliferated. The President tweeted his disapproval. Nike's stock dropped 3% in a day. Then it recovered. Then it hit all-time highs. The campaign won the Emmy for Outstanding Commercial, the Cannes Grand Prix, and became the most decorated ad campaign of the year.
Why It's Crazy
Nike voluntarily made the single most politically divisive athlete in America — someone literally blacklisted by the sport that made their brand — the centerpiece of their most important campaign. Most brands exist to avoid controversy at all costs. Nike chose the controversy and bet on it.
The Strategy Behind It
Nike's audience skews young and urban. Those demographics supported Kaepernick by a massive margin. By making this bet, Nike wasn't losing customers — they were sorting them. The people burning their Nikes were not Nike's growth customers. The stunt also gave permission to everyone who supported Kaepernick to very publicly display their Nike affiliation.
The Results
Revenue grew $6 billion in the year following. Stock hit all-time highs within weeks of the initial drop. Won Cannes Grand Prix, Emmy Outstanding Commercial, and dozens of industry awards. Named the most impactful marketing campaign of 2018 by multiple outlets. Kaepernick's endorsement deal was reportedly worth $20M+.
Steal This Idea
Know exactly who your customer is, and be willing to lose everyone else. Divisive campaigns lose you the people who were never going to be your customers anyway, and cement the loyalty of the people who already believed in you. The key: your position must be genuinely held, not performed.
Campaign Details
- Industry
- Consumer Goods
- Budget
- High ($1M+)
- Era
- 2010s · 2018
- Views
- 91,200
- Brand Size
- Enterprise
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