What’s the purpose?
In the last month, there is no shortage of sporting stories that caught my attention. But there is one which stands above all others: Colin Kaepernick and Nike. Rarely does a campaign involving an athlete create such an explosion of racial, cultural, political and marketing controversy.
Before adding my thoughts on Kaepernick and Nike, it is worthwhile reflecting on why some brands are more impactful than others. If a brand is to become iconic and be perceived as world-class, there needs to be an underlying purpose that radiates from the heart of the company. Something which customers can identify with and transcends all borders. It also needs to be able to express understanding and insight into its underlying purpose.
The Kaepernick campaign is not the first-time Nike has demonstrated its brand purpose. The kick-off was way back in 1988 when Nike launched the first ‘Just do it’ ad including Walt Stack. Prior to this time, Nike was only addressing a narrow group of athletes in more professional sports. The joy of running and warm glow that surrounded the Walt Stack ad elevated Nike onto another level engaging with more than 150 million Americans who were running as a form of fitness. Nike became a protagonist for everything that was positive about sport and fitness. The ‘Just do it’ campaign established a brand positioning that could be re-interpreted and renewed time and time again over decades to reflect the underlying purpose.
Along comes Colin Kaepernick as the face of Nike’s 30thanniversary ‘Just do it’ campaign. The message clearly reflects what Nike has always stood for: ‘Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.’ Only this time, the setting is a little more complex. Nike has a partnership with the NFL that runs through 2028 providing teams with match day apparel. And, the same NFL team owners have kept Kaepernick out of the league since he became a free agent in 2017. All credit to Nike for having the courage to use Kaepernick in a campaign. When the campaign went live, the NFL issued a statement on social justice saying the issues raised by Kaepernick have raised and deserve attention. Something very different to the previous statement from NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell who stated “We believe everyone should stand for the anthem.”
Of course, there were others who tried to ride the wave of publicity for personal gain, including President Trump. But frankly, who cares what he had to say? Where many doubted and criticized Kaepernick for his behaviour and bravery, Nike clearly saw this resonated with an important demographic – the younger generation. An important driver of Nike’s global business. After Nike stock initially dropped 3% in value, normal business resumed. Nike generated more than $43 million of media exposure from the Kaepernick deal and online sales increased by 31%. When the ad launched, there were more than 1.3 million tweets that referenced Nike and it was the No.1 trend on Twitter for more than 7 hours on Labor Day.
Who would have imagined that an athlete’s controversial political beliefs and social activism would provide Nike with the opportunity to re-inforce their raison d’être with another ‘Just do it’ campaign?