OPINION: Nike's input to the burning issue is shrewd marketing

Well played to Colin Kaepernick for his stance in defending something he believes so much in - and at the expense of his career.
He’s been blackballed for his stance, (well should that be his non-stance) and kneel during the American national anthem which has seen the wave of protest or civil disobedience throughout the NFL and kept Kaepernick’s campaigning issue alive - even though his career on the field is pretty much dead.
But well done. He’s got his reward too with Nike picking up the cause and using Kaepernick as their latest advertising campaign.
And well played Nike because, not only has it shown morality in the face of what would have been seen as a potential commercial hit – it has generated A LOT of publicity, good publicity for the most part for the sportswear company.
It’s a tick in the box for the marketers. What more opportune advertising time than pick up the most newsworthy American football star at the start of the NFL season last week?
They’ve even courted the opposition and welcomed it – maybe they don’t want people with views opposing Kaepernick’s to be wearing their brand. But far from lose out on the disillusioned customers who disagreed with Kaepernick and then, by extension, with Nike, they’ve exploited them. Sales were up by 31 per cent last week.
They protested Nike’s support for Kaepernick’s protest. And how did they do it? By burning or defacing Nike products - products they’d have to buy in order to deface to make their point.
Nike even encouraged them to burn their stock – with some fire safety tips too!