The Business & Art of Nike’s Kaepernick Campaign

Chris Jones
Sep 4, 2018 · 3 min read

Nike won the internet yesterday. 1 million tweets on a holiday no less. And it’s just getting started.

Sure, the company stock opened with a small dip — 2.8% on the morning (at 9.30 Pacific). But it’s still early for trading. After going down straight out the gate, the stock’s been climbing back up through the morning.

Remember this: the company’s up 28% on the year, thanks to insane demand of sneakers. And it’s the official supplier of the N.F.L. for the next decade.

Nike’s been at this for a while. So has its long-time creative partner, Wieden+Kennedy, which developed “Just Do It” in 1988. In the campaign’s first decade (‘88–’98), Nike’s market share of sports shoes catapulted from 18% to 43%.

But it’s not all business. It never has been for Nike. Since its founding, Nike’s created art. Art via products and message. The Air Jordans were rebellious sneakers. They’re iconic because the shoes are boundary-pushing art. Tinker Hatfield, Nike’s legendary designer, is an artist who created wearable art for a publicly traded company. Nike’s artistic DNA shows in its marketing too, in every piece of content. From Jordan to Kobe to Serena to Kaep.

Yes, the #nikeboycott is going to turn off some people. But that’s the point of art that has soul. Consider this from one of the greatest artists of our time, Rick Rubin. He’s produced practically every influential musician of the era, including Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C, Eminem, Jay-Z, Metallica, The Smashing Pumpkins, Weezer, Kanye, Led Zeppelin, Mick Jagger, and Tom Petty. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The best art divides the audience. If you put out a record and half the people who hear it absolutely love and half the people who hear it absolutely hate it, you’ve done well because it is pushing that boundary. If everyone thinks that that’s pretty good, why bother making it? It doesn’t mean much. — Rick Rubin

Nike’s new campaign with Kaepernick is boundary-pushing art for a public company. Nike’s standing with him, not because of his prowess on the field — he isn’t playing on the field. But he’s playing an important role in a much larger battle. He’s a bold athlete using his platform to change how America operates. He’s part of a legacy of other athletes doing the same. Tommie Smith. John Carlos. Billie Jean King. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. LeBron James. And Muhammad Ali. Nike’s aligned with Kaepernick because of his public protest against police brutality. And the company’s doing so while also outfitting the league that’s turned its back on Kaepernick. It’s bold. It’s art. And it’s good business.

Chris Jones

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I believe in the power of stories to change the world. Purpose-driven attorney & writer.

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