Colin Kaepernick's controversial 'Dream Crazy' Nike ad nominated for Outstanding Commercial at Emmy Awards
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's 'Dream Crazy' Nike commercial has been nominated for an Emmy award in the Outstanding Commercial category. Nike had announced Kaepernick as the face of its 'Just Do It' campaign last September.
Their decision to do so was met with immense backlash given all the controversy surrounding Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the national anthem at the NFL games in 2016
Kaepernick shared that he had started the move in order to protest the systemic racial injustices which are made against the African- American community in the country. In the ad, Kaepernick can be heard saying, "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."
The commercial also made references to other athletes such as Serena Williams, LeBron James, and Shaquem Alphonso Griffin. It praised people who aspire and have a desire to go above and beyond athleticism and be the best at what they do. The ad was able to secure a nomination for an Emmy Award for outstanding commercial alongside other impressive ads for Netflix, Apple’s Macbook and iPhone XS.
As reported by Edison Trends, the company's online sales rose by 31% the very week that the campaign was launched. The report also stated that the surge was a lot stronger than the 17% increase that was recorded last year in the same time frame.
The company shared in a statement, "There was speculation that the Nike/Kaepernick campaign would lead to a drop in sales but the data does not support that theory." Even though Kaepernick — who has had a contract with Nike since 2011 — plays a major part in the successful ad, he has not been on good terms with the brand.
He was reportedly disapproving of the sportswear brand's choice to use Betsy Ross’ US flag design on its new Air Max 1 USA. The former NFL star allegedly complained that the use of the flag was very offensive and had many links to slavery, sources shared with The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal's report stated, "After images of the shoe were posted online, Mr. Kaepernick, a Nike endorser, reached out to company officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery."