Last night Nike unveiled a polarizing new ad as part of its 30th anniversary "Just Do It" campaign, which features free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick along with the caption, "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."
The ad elicited a strong response, as expected, with several athletes, celebrities and politicians showing support of the campaign while others took to social media to cut the Nike swooshes off their own clothes and burn their Nike sneakers in protest. Click here to see some of those reactions.
According to ESPN's Darren Rovell, there aren't any plans to release a Colin Kaepernick signature shoe, or an extensive clothing line, as some rumors have suggested. Rovell notes that Kaepernick originally signed with Nike in 2011 and he has remained on their roster since, despite being out of the NFL and not appearing in any campaigns over the last two years.
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"We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward," Gino Fisanotti, Nike's vice president of brand for North America, told ESPN.
In addition to Kaepernick, Nike's 30th anniversary "Just Do It" campaign, which is meant to specifically speak to 15- to 17-year olds, also features Serena Williams, LeBron James, Odell Beckham Jr., Lacey Baker and Seattle Seahawks rookie Shaquem Griffin.
"We wanted to energize its meaning and introduce 'Just Do It' to a new generation of athletes," Fisanotti said, per ESPN.
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