People are threatening to boycott Nike and buy Adidas and New Balance in response to a new ad starring Colin Kaepernick
- Nike is seeing backlash online following the release of a new ad starring Colin Kaepernick. Some critics are threatening to boycott the brand.
- Kaepernick was one of the first athletes to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality.
- Now, people are threatening to boycott Nike in response to the ad, with some people even burning their shoes.
Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad is sparking threats of boycott, with critics saying they'll be shopping for shoes from New Balance, Under Armour, or Adidas instead.
On Monday, Kaepernick shared an image of his face on Twitter, with the words: "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." The image was retweeted by Nike, reportedly kicking off a new multi-year deal between the former NFL player and the sportswear company.
The Nike ad immediately sparked controversy. Kaepernick was one of the first athletes to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality. As more players followed in his footsteps, he and others have been criticized by many on the right, including President Donald Trump who called for protesting players to be fired.
Nike's ad sparked boycott threats online.
Nike's Facebook page has been flooded with criticism of the ad.
"Just bought a pair of nikes yesterday not knowing about this, but NOW I will be returning them!!!" reads one comment. "Bad choice your company made!! People who truly love this country will not be buying your product!"
"Guess what my son is NOT getting for school this year... No more Nike purchases by this Patriotic Mom!" reads another.
Some critics of the ad pledged to spend more money with Nike's rivals.
A few people even posted photos of themselves destroying Nike shoes and socks. The destruction inspired mockery on the left, with some noting that homeless veterans' groups could use the donations of unwanted Nike products.
As is often the case, many supporters of the ad spoke out on social media to say that the controversy only made them more likely to buy more Nike products.
Nike did not immediately return Business Insider's request for comment on the boycott threats.
The actual business repercussions of Kaepernick's ad are still unclear. While many boycotts have proven to be empty threats with little impact on sales, a few - such as a 2016 boycott of Target - have actually impacted companies' bottom lines.