Nike's Kaepernick Support

[Bocefish]

Brilliant business decision.

What say you?

 

[zippypinhead]

Yup.

 

[Lelo1]

So is the beef that they're socially backing a guy who the NFL is blocking because he wouldn't stop kneeling?
FYI their up 80 points on the stock exchange.

 

[Deleted member 37064]

I think it goes with their "Just Do It" statement.

Can't say I like the fact that people are injecting politics into sports though. This goes for everyone, not just Kapernick.

 

[SaffronBurke]

I saw someone on Twitter who cut the tops off of his socks to remove the logo. I'm sure he's really going to enjoy those socks now that they'll buy bunched up under his feet and failing to protect the backs of his feet from his shoes.

I saw another who burned his shoes. While wearing them. Dude why.

 

[Deleted member 37064]

Yeah, I don't get some people's reactions. If you don't agree, give the stuff away and don't it anymore.

 

[ElaySmith]

I saw someone on Twitter who cut the tops off of his socks to remove the logo. I'm sure he's really going to enjoy those socks now that they'll buy bunched up under his feet and failing to protect the backs of his feet from his shoes.

I saw another who burned his shoes. While wearing them. Dude why.

May as well get rid of all your Converse and Hurley apparel too.

 

[Emberblaze]

Friend goes vegan and will no longer support the animal farming industry because of personal beliefs - Continues wearing Dr Martins because she already paid for them and doesn't have a friend in her size to donate them to and does donate many other leather items to friends. In the future makes vegan purchases.

Seems reasonable right?

Stranger on the internet decides they no longer support Nike because of personal beliefs - lights Nike products on fire and then has to go buy new shit for themselves.

Wut?

If you support veterans so much I dunno... Maybe donate those products to any of the RIDICULOUS NUMBER of homeless or struggling veterans in the US and then purchase from companies you feel better support veterans?

I'm not about to debate whether I think kneeling is disrespectful to veterans because honestly as a Canadian I really don't think we see standing for our national anthem as intensely important as US people do. Plus I was raised in a semi, kinda, but not quite Jehovah's witness home and so I didn't from childhood have someone instilling how important the anthem was? Basically I just don't have any room to argue it either way. Because I don't think I understand the hard-on some people feel for their national anthem.

But there's gotta be some way less stupid than lighting your sneakers on fire to express what you are feeling...

 

[ElaySmith]

Friend goes vegan and will no longer support the animal farming industry because of personal beliefs - Continues wearing Dr Martins because she already paid for them and doesn't have a friend in her size to donate them to and does donate many other leather items to friends. In the future makes vegan purchases.

Seems reasonable right?

Stranger on the internet decides they no longer support Nike because of personal beliefs - lights Nike products on fire and then has to go buy new shit for themselves.

Wut?

If you support veterans so much I dunno... Maybe donate those products to any of the RIDICULOUS NUMBER of homeless or struggling veterans in the US and then purchase from companies you feel better support veterans?

I'm not about to debate whether I think kneeling is disrespectful to veterans because honestly as a Canadian I really don't think we see standing for our national anthem as intensely important as US people do. Plus I was raised in a semi, kinda, but not quite Jehovah's witness home and so I didn't from childhood have someone instilling how important the anthem was? Basically I just don't have any room to argue it either way. Because I don't think I understand the hard-on some people feel for their national anthem.

But there's gotta be some way less stupid than lighting your sneakers on fire to express what you are feeling...

Kneel down’t kneel I don’t really care.... my biggest issue with the whole thing is what are these people doing in the off season. Sure protest something you believe in I have no problem with that but what are you doing when the camera last are off? This was an issue last football season, but what has been seen or heard about since then? I’ll admit I don’t really watch/read the news, I find it depressing, but I can’t avoid hearing about this issue during football season.... so why aren’t we hearing more about it during the off-season if these players feel so strongly about it?

 

[dilligaf0]

Kneel down’t kneel I don’t really care.... my biggest issue with the whole thing is what are these people doing in the off season. Sure protest something you believe in I have no problem with that but what are you doing when the camera last are off? This was an issue last football season, but what has been seen or heard about since then? I’ll admit I don’t really watch/read the news, I find it depressing, but I can’t avoid hearing about this issue during football season.... so why aren’t we hearing more about it during the off-season if these players feel so strongly about it?

Here's a list of the charities Kaepernick donated to last year even though he wasn't playing for any team (if this helps answer your question).
https://www.ninersnation.com/2018/1...tion&utm_content=entry&utm_medium=social&utm_

 

[EspiKvlt]

I just find it hilariously ironic that the same people always talking about the Triggered Left are now ruining shit they already paid for because a dude was on an ad.

 

[SMuser69]

Personally Kaepernick's form protest was perfect. Non-disruptive to the game, personal and brought awareness to it's purpose. The only thing I would slight him for was his lack of explanation of exactly WHAT his cause was for over two months allowing no discussion direction right away. I don't totally agree with him but it didn't stop the game from being played on time and didn't mean players weren't trying to win.

With that said I completely disagree with Nike, a company, choosing to be politically active in a divisive topic. Companies, in particular public companies, sole job are to create profit. Their ethical decisions should be considered only when it's clear maintaining them will cause a clear loss of customers or money though legal challenges. So making sure you're not using child labor would be a good ethical choice but taking a SIDE in a political argument not matter how well intentioned that will cut or even divide your customer demographics is a terrible decisions.

This is when your company can risk collapses because you have no clue that the people that you are trying to appease are even customers of yours. We're seeing whole industries being hurt when companies choose to switch to activism and no long show interest in making money or even chasing away the demographic that supported them.

Where some in the current generation don't even know or consider piracy and bootlegging is stealing and criminal, Fan's don't always mean customers. As models you see this often where greys in a room can all represent parts of your fanbase but then you have the few paying customers that actually paying you and supporting you. Fan's no longer equate evenly to income but customers do. Which do you choose to keep more of?

Anyways I'm ranting too much.

 

[bud9752]

I saw someone on Twitter who cut the tops off of his socks to remove the logo. I'm sure he's really going to enjoy those socks now that they'll buy bunched up under his feet and failing to protect the backs of his feet from his shoes.

I saw another who burned his shoes. While wearing them. Dude why.

If you really want to protest NIKE just send back the items and ask for a refund and don't buy anymore products
Doesn't make sense to throw your own money away

 

[SaffronBurke]

If you really want to protest NIKE just send back the items and ask for a refund and don't buy anymore products
Doesn't make sense to throw your own money away

If they really want to stick it to Nike, that would be the best choice of action.

 

[dilligaf0]

If they really want to stick it to Nike, that would be the best choice of action.

They don't think that deeply.
Just look at their Keurig tantrum last year.

 

[SaffronBurke]

They don't think that deeply.
Just look at their Keurig tantrum last year.

Weren't people actually BUYING Keurigs specifically to destroy them?

Reminds me of the Starbucks cup "protest" where people were going to Starbucks every day and saying their name was "Merry Christmas" so it would be on the cups. Starbucks still made money, and these people accomplished nothing.

 

[JickyJuly]

The whole thing makes me sad.
Kaepernick's protest was totally respectful and respectable.
But, Nike is crap.
Americans burning shit made in other countries by women and children for peanuts is crap.
We're so spoiled that arguing over whether a black dude should kneel or whether it's reasonable to burn shoes is something we can do.
Nike should be ashamed of themselves.
Kaepernick shouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole.
Anyone burning shoes when there are people walking around without any and calling it principle is a twat to say the least.

 

[Mila_]

I just find it hilariously ironic that the same people always talking about the Triggered Left are now ruining shit they already paid for because a dude was on an ad.

Not the same crowd. The right is not a monolith.

Personally Kaepernick's form protest was perfect. Non-disruptive to the game, personal and brought awareness to it's purpose. The only thing I would slight him for was his lack of explanation of exactly WHAT his cause was for over two months allowing no discussion direction right away. I don't totally agree with him but it didn't stop the game from being played on time and didn't mean players weren't trying to win.

With that said I completely disagree with Nike, a company, choosing to be politically active in a divisive topic. Companies, in particular public companies, sole job are to create profit. Their ethical decisions should be considered only when it's clear maintaining them will cause a clear loss of customers or money though legal challenges. So making sure you're not using child labor would be a good ethical choice but taking a SIDE in a political argument not matter how well intentioned that will cut or even divide your customer demographics is a terrible decisions.

This is when your company can risk collapses because you have no clue that the people that you are trying to appease are even customers of yours. We're seeing whole industries being hurt when companies choose to switch to activism and no long show interest in making money or even chasing away the demographic that supported them.

Where some in the current generation don't even know or consider piracy and bootlegging is stealing and criminal, Fan's don't always mean customers. As models you see this often where greys in a room can all represent parts of your fanbase but then you have the few paying customers that actually paying you and supporting you. Fan's no longer equate evenly to income but customers do. Which do you choose to keep more of?

Anyways I'm ranting too much.

Sounds to me like the K-ad is in fact the most profitable choice for Nike as a company. The right doesn’t really care except for a tiny sliver of fanatics. Conservatives will continue to buy Nike regardless of their political stance. The left on the other hand will buy with extra zeal and it was a great publicity stunt, everybody is talking about Nike these days. It’s unavoidable. So it served its purpose.

 

[Poison_Ivy21]

The most fucked up thing about it all is there’s plenty of very legitimate reasons to boycott both Nike and the NFL. Nike’s lack of “control” (their words) over their subcontractors committing labor/human rights violations. Or the NFL not punishing players who hit their girlfriends/wives.

All that’s excusable, but players using their platforms to exercise their right to protest? Can’t have that! It all seems like a bad joke. It sucks how this whole conversation is supposed to be about police brutality, but we can’t seem to get past all this other bullshit.

 

[AmberCutie]

the NFL not punishing players who hit their girlfriends/wives.

Not trying to defend them, just really curious and not educated on the processes... why doesn’t our legal system take care of that? Shouldn’t be up to their employers should it? Or does the NFL have a hand in protecting players from the law?

 

[Poison_Ivy21]

Not trying to defend them, just really curious and not educated on the processes... why doesn’t our legal system take care of that? Shouldn’t be up to their employers should it? Or does the NFL have a hand in protecting players from the law?

Complicated question. Our legal system often falls short, especially with domestics violence. Much like sexual assault, it’s not alway the easiest crime to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Add that to the fact that abusive relationships are complicated situations and the women don’t always want to press charges. Remember when Ray Rice was caught on video dragging his wife out of that elavator and all that? Took 6 months after that video was released for the nfl to admit that a two game suspension was a bit light. Yikes.

Here’s a link to the Chicago tribune talking about violence in the nfl last May.

Another very problematic part of the NFL, CBT. Another retired player who had it committed suicide yesterday. Something has got to change on that front because talk about unnecessary. So sad.

 

[SMuser69]

Sounds to me like the K-ad is in fact the most profitable choice for Nike as a company. The right doesn’t really care except for a tiny sliver of fanatics. Conservatives will continue to buy Nike regardless of their political stance. The left on the other hand will buy with extra zeal and it was a great publicity stunt, everybody is talking about Nike these days. It’s unavoidable. So it served its purpose.

We know nothing right now. We won't know anything till end of quarter at the least or if any announcements from large companies (If the NFL cancelled it's contract with Nike for example). All we are seeing is outrage and drama policing of the decision for the moment. Like I said before people that don't buy Nike products at all can feel entitled to complain. How much this is will affect people that PURCHASE Nike products won't be know till later. That said, why risk doing anything that divides your customer base for no gain? Getting someone that pays you upset for any reason because the quality of your product isn't good business behavior. Chick fil-a for example did lose customers and moved out of some markets because their choice to become politically active.

 

[Mila_]

We know nothing right now. We won't know anything till end of quarter at the least or if any announcements from large companies (If the NFL cancelled it's contract with Nike for example). All we are seeing is outrage and drama policing of the decision for the moment. Like I said before people that don't buy Nike products at all can feel entitled to complain. How much this is will affect people that PURCHASE Nike products won't be know till later. That said, why risk doing anything that divides your customer base for no gain? Getting someone that pays you upset for any reason because the quality of your product isn't good business behavior. Chick fil-a for example did lose customers and moved out of some markets because their choice to become politically active.

If the right was as easily galvanized as the left we would have nowhere to shop

 

[Bocefish]

Not trying to defend them, just really curious and not educated on the processes... why doesn’t our legal system take care of that? Shouldn’t be up to their employers should it? Or does the NFL have a hand in protecting players from the law?

Far from an expert on the subject but they usually settle out of court, often for millions.

As far as the kneeling protest goes... he only started kneeling after all the disrespectful hate mail he received for sitting his ass on the bench during the anthem.

I don't care if he's protesting the current price of a big mac. Once you willingly put on a team's uniform you are no longer an individual in what you do while wearing that uniform and your actions have consequences for everyone that wears the uniform.

Overpaid athletes that think their touchdown pass or run... wasn't a total team effort then show off like it was all because of them disgust me.

Walter Payton will always be my favorite NFL player.

 

[justjoinedtopost]

Once you willingly put on a team's uniform you are no longer an individual in what you do while wearing that uniform and your actions have consequences for everyone that wears the uniform.

There was a shift leader in a plant I used to work in, we all found out he was on the sex offender registry after the ruckus he caused by showing up for his photo wearing a company shirt, his name on one side on a patch, the company name on the other side. Off topic, but I guess it sorta supports what you are saying.

But anyway, if NBC can support Weinstein, I see no reason Nike can't support Kaepernick.

This says the Kaepernick thing has boosted Nike's sales...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-nike-online-sales-kaepernick-campaign-20180908-story.html#

 

[Bocefish]

This says the Kaepernick thing has boosted Nike's sales...

Nike just doubled down on their best customers, that's all. They didn't have much to lose and everything to gain. It wasn't too long ago that urban kids were mugging each other or sometimes killing for a pair of Nike gym shoes!

 

[justjoinedtopost]

Nike just doubled down on their best customers, that's all. They didn't have much to lose and everything to gain. It wasn't too long ago that urban kids were mugging each other or sometimes killing for a pair of Nike gym shoes!

Think I first heard about that happening sometime in the 90s. Unrelated, but was probably about the last time I bought a pair of Nikes.

 

[AudriTwo]

my only opinion is people destroying their nike items are hilarious and tragic. yeah you really showed that company who already got your money by ruining your property in protest. why not donate your unwanted nike products that are higher quality to people who need it?


nevermind, i have two. still love this total non-issue is still in the news. a man expressing his freedom to protest. in middle school, we were taught the bill of rights in social studies. my teacher was explaining protest and mentioned refusing to stand for the pledge of allegiance in protest is allowed. anyone in the government can't prevent you from doing so. that includes public school teachers. the remainder of the year, no one stood for the pledge of allegiance. most said they were doing it to protest against the afghanistan war. majority were doing it because they didn't want to. lol.

my point is freedom of expression. people kneeling during the anthem are just as american as the people standing for it. god bless freedom! USA! USA!

 

[MollyMidnight]

Weren't people actually BUYING Keurigs specifically to destroy them?

There's a Kimmy Schmidt episode where a Native American woman is trying to convince the Washington Redskins to change their name. On her way back from a break or something, she sees her family and a bunch of others burning merch they'd bought specifically to burn. She points this out to the owners of the team and is all "but we're such a small group of people, imagine how much money you'd make if you offended a much larger group of people."

 

[weirdbr]

. How much this is will affect people that PURCHASE Nike products won't be know till later.

We already have quite a few signals; external analysts have concluded that there has been a 31% increase in sales online, shares went up, Nike got a few hundred thousand dollars worth of PR for 'free'. So, mission accomplished.

That said, why risk doing anything that divides your customer base for no gain?

As we've already seen from early data, there was a considerable gain. And from previous boycotts, we know those gains are real and the companies come out stronger. Plus, it's they aren't really siding with something controversial - the NFL protests might seem so because of all the online/cable TV drama, but they're really not controversial otherwise.

Not trying to defend them, just really curious and not educated on the processes... why doesn’t our legal system take care of that? Shouldn’t be up to their employers should it? Or does the NFL have a hand in protecting players from the law?

The point that Poison_Ivy21 made is related to the NFL contract with players: it has a few clauses about acceptable behaviour outside the field (it boils down to "dont risk our reputation with your actions or you will be disciplined"), however it is applied in a very interesting fashion: historically, players who got positive results in drug tests for pot got worse punishments than players who were charged (and, in some cases, convicted) for domestic violence, dog fighting, etc.

And yes, the legal system should do a better job of dealing with those situations, but we all know how well that works.