Would you use it if you had the power to begin a revolution? Many advertisements are used to sell, promote and even communicate. In Ads, the producer uses things that will speak to the audience they use bright colors or no color at all which is a form of non – verbal communication, color can affect our mood, as well as the way we view things. Ads will also use celebrities, sex, or things they find the audience can relate with, lighting and even the arrangement are used to make us interpret the product or message in the Ad exactly the way they want it viewed. What makes me curious to know about it is what where , Nike, a sports apparel and footwear company’s intentions whereby making the former San Francisco, 49er NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, the face of their 30th-anniversary campaign.’ Colin Kaepernick is not only famously known as an NFL football player, but he is also a largely known activist for social injustice. According to his “Know your rights” campaign, website, knowyourrightscamp.com, Kaepernick campaign was founded by Kaepernick himself. The campaign was created to educate, raise awareness of social injustice and interact properly with law enforcement.
Colin Kaepernick started protesting for social injustice in the U.S, by silently kneeling against racial oppression and standing with people that are being oppressed, he did so during the National Anthem, summer of 2016. Unfortunately, His silent protest was heard loud and taken offensively. He was accused of disrespecting the flag, the U.S military, and the U.S as a whole for kneeling. Thus, resulting in him losing his position as an NFL quarterback and, unapologetically, with the NFL completely. Of course, he won’t stand for that either .According to ESPN new center “Kaepernick filed a grievance for collusion against NFL owners.” Colin Said it best stating in his interview with ESPN “If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know I stood up for what is right.” Colin has had his career and as I would say his livelihood and social image all destroyed. So what exactly was the intention behind Nikes advertisement? Perhaps to help bring awareness to social injustice and stand with Kaepernick’s helping both him and his movement or maybe strictly a business gain? The advertisement is a blown up and tight-shot portrait of Kaepernick’s face and his curly fro. Fearless, daring, seething and courageous seem to be the emotions expressed from his eyes alone. His facial expression is etched, very serious. There is a glare in his eyes. The portrait lighting sets a serious more dramatic tone- maybe expressing the seriousness of the issue. The advertisement is colorless, Shades of Black, and Gray, making Kaepernick and the presentation title the primary focus. Center-aligned over Kaepernick’s face the presentation title reads ‘Believe in something.
Even if it means sacrificing everything.’ for me that line has everything to do with unfortunately His silent protest that was definitely heard. Could that be Nike backing Kaepernick’s press for social change and justice or possibly just an inspirational quote for young athletes? Directly beneath the presentation title is Nikes “swoosh” logo It is a check mark shape, that to me indicates “yes this applies to me”, Alongside the swoosh logo, Nikes famous slogan “Just do it” According to Stacy Conradt who wrote the article “The Stories Behind 6 Famous Slogans” states in her article that Dan Wieden the ad-executive of Nike got the slogan from a murder from Portland, Oregon, Gary Gilmore, who she explained was “sentenced to death by a firing squad” she explains that Gilmore gained global recognition for requesting the execution of his death sentence for the two murders he committed. Before the firing squad shot him to death. Wikipedia proclaims that Gary Gilmore’s last words where “Let’s do it.” This to me showing perfectly how, Nike, thrives from using political stances, from the very birth of their slogan up until now. Nike displayed the advertisement and as it began its journey around the nation, blowing-up everywhere, all over news headlines, social media, Facebook feeds reports of protest’s to “#BoycottNike”, by that they intended, burning and destroying Nike attire that they already owned, most protesters reasoning being they felt Nike supports Colin Kaepernick and the idea that Kaepernick blatantly disrespected the United States and soldiers who fought for our freedom and apparently not for social injustice. Fortunately enough for Nike, the protesters did not affect the company business or financially-wise to severely. According to Charisse Jones, a journalist, and essayist for USA TODAY who wrote “What did Nike just do? Kaepernick ad may gain more from Gen Z than it loses.”
127 our experts are availableright now
Charisse Jones states in the article that “Nikes shares were down 2.75 percent to $79.94 in afternoon trading, though the price rebounded Wednesday morning, ticking up less than 1 percent to $79.72.” I conclude that Nike’s objective with this advertisement is to stand with their mission statement that being as there website aboutnike.com reads is “to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” I want to consider this an Informative Advertisement nonetheless at the same time just a financial business gain, I am not moderately sure if Nike is sticking to their mission statement or actually genuinely supporting an athlete and his fight against social injustice. Furthermore, I feel because Nike is so nationally prominent their brand practically advertises itself. If you look through Nikes Ads they are always evoking the most prevalent political events never really picturing just their products. For me, this is just the company’s alternative way of keeping their name in the headlines regardless of having to sacrifice a few bigotries. Nike has done a phenomenal job with this advertisement whether it be for their company’s gain or the company genuinely kneeling with Kaepernick, or both. I am moved by Kaepernicks courage to stand for what is right and kneel in contradiction against a world that is socially unjust and carelessly claims not to be. I’m eager that Nike promoted him regardless of their reasoning, keeping Kaepernick’s movement in the headlines is something I strongly stand by.
Double entry journaling technique for me was not something I really found enjoyable but there were definitely a couple aspects in this type of writing that I found pretty helpful, one in conclusion was the analyzing and Jotting down of what I saw on the Ad in the order that I saw it, focusing on details in the Ad and trying to understand what Nikes overall aim t to what they intended the ad’s message to be, so that definitely was unclear for me especially because, Nike, being a sports shoe and apparel company with no sight of their gear on the advertisement, just simply Colin Kaepernick’s portrait blown out, the presentation caption, their slogan, and company logo . I found the chart method helpful by writing on the left side of the chart about what I observed and on the right side some analysis and questions about my observations that helped de-clutter my thoughts and gave me a better understanding about the way Nike chose to present their Ad.
