Colin Kaepernick's polarizing Nike ad has gotten plenty of mixed opinions, once again re-igniting the flames of the discussion around NFL players' rights to kneel during the national anthem. Golden State Warriors forward Andre Iguodala spoke about what it means to have the ad in national television and the power to convey the message through Kaepernick's narration.
“I think it speaks for itself. He’s saying to make a sacrifice to stand for something,” Iguodala told CNBC. “I think what gets lost in translation is what this is all about. At the end of the day, this is all about everyone being treated equally and standing up to an issue that we have in the African American male community — which is the abuse that we’ve taken from our justice system. It’s not about protesting the national anthem, and we’re bringing light to that.”
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While the motto of the ad is “Don't ask if your dreams are crazy, ask if they're crazy enough” — many have honed into the one that tells Kaepernick's story: “Believe in something, even if it means losing everything.”
The chatter is often dominated by the complaint of kneeling during the national anthem, missing the point behind it — the racial injustice through police brutality in this country.
Nike has always positioned itself as an edgy brand, willing to innovate — and that is perhaps why they have been the first to put a foot forward in this issue and support Kaepernick's crusade.
“If you look at the grand scheme, culture is moving product right now, especially apparel,” said Iguodala. “Look at Michael Jordan. Everyone wants to have that Michael Jordan influence, and that was from the culture. Air Jordan basketball shoes… I think he sold like $3 billion last year in just Michael Jordan apparel and shoes. That’s a cultural influence, and they’re understanding that our community — the African American community — moves the culture, moves the thread when it comes to apparel, and that’s standing behind a community that has put Nike in the position that it’s in right now.”
While this polarizing issue has put some more in favor of Nike, some have been inclined to burn and opt to not buy their products anymore — yet this is clearly a tradeoff that the longstanding brand is willing to take in order to be the first to address this issue in the larger scheme.
Iguodala, a long-time Nike athlete, has never been shy in speaking about social issues, and this isn't the first time he's shown his support for Kaepernick and the brand and what they stand for.
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