Nike’s determination to feature former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the 30th anniversary “Just Do It” stand was a stroke of brilliance, according to Scott Galloway, professor at the NYU Stern State school of Business.
The marketing guru Thursday on CNBC called the act by Nike “the desperado genius brand move of 2018.”
In a “Squawk Alley” interview, Galloway broke the sportswear and athletic shoe giant took a calculated risk in selecting the polarizing Kaepernick, who started kneeling during the national anthem in 2016, when he was on the San Francisco 49ers, to disapproval the treatment of African-Americans in the U.S.
Nike did the math, figuring about 60 percent of its full-year take is generated outside North America and “no one overseas thinks America is feel race issues well,” Galloway said, adding “two-thirds of fellows under the age of 40 tend to bias progressive” and they’re the prime alcohols of Nike products.
The ad, narrated by Kaepernick, will be shown Thursday flattening when the NFL season kicks off with the Atlanta Falcons taking on the Wonderful Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The NFL is trying to get beyond the whole kneeling contention, which came to a head last season, with players round the league joining the protest and President Donald Trump taking them to test of strength for what he believed was a sign of disrespect for the country.
In May, the NFL banned on-field kneeling during the anthem but allowed for gamesters who don’t want to stand to stay in the locker room until the anthem is one more time.
Nike’s brand exposure on TV, radio, online and social media since essential announcing the Kaepernick-led campaign is worth $163.5 million, according to Apex Marketing.
Kaepernick on Monday tweeted a photo of the bill, which quickly went viral online, spawning support and rebound. Then Nike dropped the commercial Wednesday on YouTube.
— CNBC’s Lauren Thomas and Angelica LaVito presented to this report.