Nike is a major international sports brand that has always used famous sports figures to promote its brand. However, using Colin Kaepernick in one of their recent ad campaigns is different from their usual method of using athletes to promote their brand or new product. If you look at the advert you will realize that there is no product being promoted, it is just Colin Kaepernick, two sentences and the famous Nike logo aligned with his equally famous slogan; "Just do it". Knowing what Colin Kaepernick stands for, why he no longer plays football, you remain stunned as to why Nike would use him, why would they enter a polarizing political scene? It's debatable whether Nike is stepping into the political arena, but there's no denying that the use of Colin Kaepernick in this unique ad, based on Nike's previous methods, is an extremely powerful ad. Say no to plagiarism. Get Custom Essay on 'Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned'?Get Original EssayColin Kaepernick's Unpredictable Ad Campaign with 'Nike'Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL was a young and promising football player. After taking over for Alex Smith, a former first-round draft pick who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, he was a rising star, an African-American quarterback on the rise. However, Kaepernick was never able to live up to his potential, even losing his spot in 2016. During one of the preseason games, Colin was visibly seen taking a knee during "The Star-Spangled Banner,” which captured the nation's attention and was a topic of discussion throughout the season. After the match, Colin explained why he knelt, saying: "I'm not going to stand up and show my pride in front of the flag of a country that oppresses black people and people of color." For now, Kaepernick is out of the league and struggling to find a new team. The ad is simplistic in every way imaginable, but powerful nonetheless. The color palette of the ad is primarily a black and white color palette, with Colin Kaepernick filling the entire image space. He looks directly at the camera or the viewer. Under his eyes it says “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” Most likely, he is referring to kneeling during the national anthem and, therefore, a low chance of replaying the league due to teams not wanting to deal with publicity. Additionally, Nike could also be seen sacrificing things, as Colin's protest is polarizing and simply a financial risk. At the bottom of the advertisement appears the Nike logo and its famous slogan “Just do it”. Colin's face looks grim, much like that of an oppressed person who has had enough. Not completely abandoned, but someone calm, quietly confident, and optimistic that his stance will inspire more people to join his cause. It's exaggerated, but the black and white color palette can represent distrust and tension between white and black cultures. Both Nike and Colin benefited from the publicity, Colin's message was re-exposed and Nike made $6 billion as a result. Even though no products were sold, the brand sided with the supporters of Colin's protest. As a result, earning more revenue in return, even if it meant losing customers who objected to Colin's protest. Nike has decided to align itself with.