Nike Inc.'s decision to feature Colin Kaepernick in his latest Just Do It advertising campaign has predictably blown up the Internet.

In a video, Nike shoes were burned. John Rich, half of the Big & Rich country music duo, showed that his soundman had cut Nike's iconic swoosh from his socks. #NikeBoycott quickly began to have trends on Twitter.

At the same time, tennis star Serena Williams tweeted that she was "particularly proud to be part of the Nike family today." Others said their children had planned to wear Nike from head to toe in Kaepernick's favor.

None of this should have been a surprise, let alone for Nike.

The sportswear and footwear company took a calculated risk by introducing Kaepernick, the former San Francisco quarterback who is now well-known for kneeling in the national anthem of protest against black men . Although the movement was perceived by many as provocative, the Beaverton, Oregon, bet that more customers will support it – especially the youngest Nike courts.

"Companies are increasingly realizing that it's important that they be goal-oriented," said Joshua Beck, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Oregon, who has conducted research on activism. corporate brands. "Nike takes its decisions about its brand very seriously. It's something that Nike thought was compatible with who they are as a society. "

Nike is not the only brand of clothing that is fighting for young consumers. Under Armor Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, also caters to a younger population and has recruited several elite athletes, including Golden State Warriors playmaker, Steph Curry, and Misty Copeland. , the first African-American dancer of the American Ballet Theater.

Nike would have had a competition for Kaepernick – Yahoo Sports reported Monday that Adidas and Puma were among the "multiple" brands that had talked about signing it if Nike did not renew its sponsorship deal, which began in 2011.

Kaepernick is one of many athletes, including Odell Beckham Jr., the Williams and New York Giants' General Receiver, on the 30th anniversary of Nike's Just Do It campaign. A spokesman for Nike said in a statement on Tuesday that the campaign "celebrates some of the most inspiring athletes who have driven dreams, no matter the obstacle or the result".

The new Nike Kaepernick contract is expected to feature the athlete on billboards, TV commercials and online ads, as well as a clothing line. In the first ad, an image of Kaepernick appears with these words: "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.

Kaepernick has not played for a team since he left the 49ers in 2016 and became a free agent. Last year, he filed a complaint with the National Football League, alleging that the owners agreed to keep him out of the NFL because of his protests. An arbitrator recently referred the case to court.

Nike's decision to present Kaepernick is consistent with the rebellious image that the company has sought in previous campaigns. Last month, Nike tweeted a picture of Williams with the words, "You can remove the superhero from his costume, but you will never be able to take away his superpowers," said the French federation. at the French Open next year.

This decision also reflects the company's long tradition of defending its athletes. Nike defended Kobe Bryant after the Lakers star was charged with sexual assault in 2003. Prosecutors later dropped criminal charges against Bryant and a civil suit was started in 2005.

"If you think of Nike as a marketing company, they have always been provocative," said Matt Powell, a sports industry analyst at NPD Group, a market research firm. "They tend to stay with their athletes through thick, thin ones."

The Kaepernick decision seems to have initially sparked public relations momentum for Nike. According to an analysis conducted Tuesday morning by Apex Marketing Group, the majority of the media expressed about Nike since the announcement was positive, which allowed the company to evaluate the equivalent of $ 19.01 million paid advertising on television, radio, web and social media. That compares to a neutral sentiment of $ 13.76 million and a negative sentiment of $ 10.91 million, said Eric Smallwood, president of Apex.

Wall Street was less positive; The action of Nike closed at 79.60 dollars Tuesday, down 3.2%, slightly lower than the market as a whole.

The Nike campaign could pay off in the long run. Boycotts tend to be short-lived and consumers who support brand actions generally persist. This can lead to sales growth, Beck said.

Enterprise brand activism is one way to achieve that loyalty, he said.

"It's not enough to say that you are for the environment or for fair work practices," Beck said. "Most companies now believe it. So the question is what can we do as a brand and distinguish ourselves from other competing brands.

Millennial consumers, in particular, want brands to be transparent about their positions on social issues, said NPD Group's Powell, whose research revealed that two-thirds of people wearing Nike shoes in the United States United are under 35 years old. And 45% of this group is under 25 years old.

"In many ways, I think this campaign aligns a lot with a younger consumer," Powell said. "The older consumer is clearly not what Nike focuses on."

But in the era of President Trump, the consequences of taking sides can be unpredictable, even for a bold name like Nike.

"People have seen them as this lifestyle brand, as this compelling brand that empowers athletes," said David Carter, executive director of the USC Sports Business Institute. "But if they go too far towards social activism, it can alienate some of their consumer base."

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