DS Talk » Nike has touched off a furor by wading into football’s national

Colin Kaepernick Connor McGovern Jersey , the former 49ers quarterback who was the first athlete to kneel during “The Star-Spangled Banner” to protest police brutality against blacks and hasn’t played a game since 2016.The ad copy reads: “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.”The ad, part of Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do it” campaign, has outraged many. Online, people threatened boycotts and posted videos and photos of shoes set on fire, Nike gear thrown in the trash, and swoosh logos cut out of products.Most big corporations steer clear of politics, and marketing experts disagreed Tuesday over whether the Kaepernick campaign is good business.But some noted approvingly that it made a big splash and set Nike apart. And they said it could solidify Nike’s bond with athletes, especially black ones, an important consideration for a company that relies heavily on sports stars to endorse its products.Brian Gordon, CEO of Engine Shop, a sports and entertainment marketing agency, said the ad is provocative but “authentic to who they are and the communities they represent and speak to,” including the athletes.“Even in the face of potential backlash, they support their athlete partners, and that’s an incredibly powerful statement to the athlete community,” Gordon said.Other athletes in the campaign include tennis star Serena Williams Khari Willis Jersey , New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Shaquem Griffin, a linebacker whose left hand was amputated when he was 4. But the Kaepernick ad struck a nerve, timed just before the NFL season kicks off on Thursday.Nike did not return a request for comment about its strategy. Its stock closed down more than 3 percent Tuesday.Neil Saunders, managing director of the data and analytics firm GlobalData, called the Kaepernick strategy “commercially imprudent.”“Nike’s campaign will generate both attention and discussion which is, arguably, one of its central aims,” he said. “However, it is also a risky strategy in that it addresses, and appears to take sides on, a highly politicized issue. This means it could ultimately alienate and lose customers, which is not the purpose of a marketing campaign.”But other experts think the strength of Nike’s brand will help it weather the storm and perhaps benefit from it, too. Nike is one of the world’s largest sports apparel companies, with $34.5 billion in revenue last year.“What you stand for is almost as important as what you make,” said Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing firm Metaforce. “It’s a polarized marketplace. No matter what you do, you offend some people. They’re focused on what they stand for Josh Allen Jersey , and if that upsets some users, so be it.”Robert Passikoff, founder of marketing consultancy Brand Keys, said an ad like Nike’s will divide people, but the outrage won’t last.“My guess is that the audience that is reacting so badly to this aren’t buying a lot of Nikes anyway,” he said. “They’ll move on to the next thing. Welcome to the 21st century.”Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, has made waves before. An ad for the company’s sport hijab went viral in 2017. And a 2010 commercial featuring a voiceover by Tiger Woods’ late father when the golfer was trying to recover from a sex scandal drew mixed reviews.In August, Nike made news when the French Open banned Williams’ Nike-branded black catsuit. Nike responded by posting an image of her on social media with the line “You can take the superhero out of her costume, but you can never take away her superpowers.”Brands run the risk of a backlash in taking a political stand in their advertising.Starbucks was mocked in 2015 for trying to start a discussion about race by writing the slogan “Race Together” on its cups. Pepsi ended up pulling a commercial that showed Kendall Jenner giving a Pepsi to a police officer; some said the ad trivialized the “Black Lives Matter” protests.John Sweeney, sports communication professor at the University of North Carolina, said the Kaepernick ad was created to provoke people, and in that respect, it succeeded.“You may have a negative reaction or a positive reaction, but you have a reaction,” he said. “They wanted something that would stop the presses and stop people in their places.”For some Jawaan Taylor Jersey , the ad has made them bigger fans of the brand.“I think what Nike did was a tremendous step in fighting against the people who misunderstand the protests by Kaep and players,” said Seth Buchwalter, of Portland, Oregon, a lifelong Nike customer.But Wesley Callaway, of Omaha, Nebraska, said he doesn’t agree with kneeling during the national anthem and thinks it is unfortunate Nike is featuring Kaepernick, though he said he doesn’t buy many Nike products and won’t make any changes in his shopping habits.“I don’t mind them protesting brutality,” he said. “I just wish they wouldn’t do it during the anthem.” BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Jimmy and Dee Haslam purchased the Cleveland Browns in 2012. After five coaching changes and zero winning seasons, both are confident this is finally their year.“I think the expectation is to win,” Dee Haslam said. “I think that is everybody’s expectation. We feel like we’re off to a great start. We can’t help but be excited for the fans. It’s a big deal for Cleveland. It’s tremendous.”The Tennessee businessman and his television producer wife held their annual training camp news conference Sunday, endorsing the goal of winning the Super Bowl set by coach Freddie Kitchens and general manager John Dorsey.Though the Browns haven’t made the playoffs in 17 years and have a 26-78-1 record under the Haslams’ ownership, they welcome the sky-high expectations being fueled by quarterback Baker Mayfield and Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.“You would much rather be in this position,” Jimmy Haslam said. “We’ve learned a lot as we’ve gone along. It has been painful, but I think we have really good people in our organization that we feel really comfortable with.“The most important lesson was to get the right people in the right place — and to get a quarterback.”Mayfield set an NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes last season Josh Oliver Jersey , leading Cleveland to its best record since 2007 at 7-8-1. At the time, Dorsey making him the No. 1 overall selection out of Oklahoma was viewed as a gamble, but is already paying off.“We not only have a really good quarterback, he is also a really good leader who loves football,” Jimmy Haslam said. “We were fortunate to have the first pick, and John and his team made a great pick in Baker. Obviously, he is going to be a part of our franchise for a long time to come.”Running back Kareem Hunt, who was cut by the Chiefs, has a much murkier future with the Browns. The Northeast Ohio native has been suspended for eight games by the NFL, but negotiations with the league to keep him around the team are ongoing.Hunt was involved in a recent fight outside a downtown Cleveland bar, prompting further fan criticism of his signing.“I think you have to take the situation very, very, very seriously,” Dee Haslam said. “We know that Kareem has work to do and he is in counseling, working really hard. It’s up to him. It is truly up to him. He needs to work really hard to be part of our organization.”The Browns’ business pursuits were addressed, as well, including their desire to extend the lease on their suburban Cleveland practice facility to 2039. Dee Haslam added that the long-term plan to develop property around FirstEnergy Stadium is moving slowly.The team also is redesigning its much maligned uniforms http://www.jaguarscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-quincy-williams-ii-jersey , which will be replaced next season. When a reporter asked if the Browns’ unique, logo-less helmets would be changed at the same time, Dee Haslam answered emphatically.“No. No. Never. Absolutely never,” she said. “We talk all the time that Cleveland has a certain way about it and we want our organization to reflect that.”Ultimately, none of the extraneous issues are as important as winning games. Jimmy Haslam declined to make a specific prediction for this season, but his confident tone said it all.“John and Freddie have done a good job expressing our expectations,” he said. “It looks like we put together a good team. We also feel really good about the people we have in place.“But you have to remember we only won seven games last year. Enough talk. We have to go out and win games now.”NOTES: DE Chad Thomas, a third-round pick in 2018, made a vulgar gesture toward a group of fans while he was running sprints. Kitchens made the entire squad run as punishment after Thomas and TE Pharaoh Brown got into a fight. “I have talked to Chad about it, but that’s going to stay between us,” the coach said. “I think he will learn.” … Rookie K Austin Seibert missed 4 of 5 field-goal attempts, making the fifth-round selection 4 of 9 in camp. Incumbent K Greg Joseph is 8 of 9. … RB Duke Johnson (right hamstring) missed his second straight practice. Hunt (groin) and RB Trayone Gray (calf) remain on the active/non-football injury list.