*By Carlo Versano* Shares of Nike were down as much as 3 percent Tuesday morning, with the #NikeBoycott hashtag among the top trends on Twitter. The sell-off came just a day after the athletic giant confirmed an endorsement deal with Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who ignited a wave of player protests against racial and social injustice for refusing in 2016 to stand during the National Anthem. It's a "fine line" for Nike to walk with this campaign, said Susan Anderson, senior retail analyst at investment bank B. Riley FBR. While the company is presumably looking to draw in a younger audience, it also risks the possibility of alienating older customers ー or the NFL itself. Kaepernick [tweeted an image](https://twitter.com/Kaepernick7/status/1036695513251434498) on Monday of his Nike ad, which features a close-up of his face with the words, "Believe in something , even if it means sacrificing everything." The ad was retweeted by the official [@Nike](http://www.twitter.com/nike) account hours later, but it ignited a firestorm on social media and prompted some users to destroy their Nike products and [post the evidence online](https://www.businessinsider.com/nike-advert-with-colin-kaepernick-has-people-burning-products-2018-9). The former 49er has become a controversial figure for the sport, sparking a slew of protests that drew the ire of President Donald Trump, who chastised players for not respecting the anthem, and which the former CEO of Papa John's, a former sponsor of the league, blamed for flagging pizza sales. Kaepernick, who has been unsigned since the 2017-18 season, last year filed a "collusion" grievance with the league, arguing that he was blackballed for the protests he started among players. The grievance is [going to trial](https://www.npr.org/2018/08/31/643558384/nfl-arbitrator-moves-colin-kaepernicks-collusion-grievance-to-formal-hearing), but no hearings have been scheduled. For Nike, though, the company clearly made the judgement that this campaign will speak to its younger customers, Anderson said Tuesday in an interview on Cheddar. Such edge marketing campaigns are likely intended to target customers more inclined to buy Nike products online than at the mall. It's something that's been increasingly important to the company ー Nike has invested heavily in e-commerce, opening a web store on Amazon, promoting sneaker drops on its website, and selling certain shoes on its official Instagram page. "Nike has done such a great job at segmenting their products across channels," Anderson said. But going after direct-to-consumer may impact Nike's traditional retail partnerships with Dick's Sporting Goods or Foot Locker \(and, indeed, [already has](https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/dicks-sporting-goods-earnings-stock-price-plunges-2018-8-1027493482)\). Nike is also one of the NFL's top partners, having signed a 10-year, $1 billion apparel deal earlier this year. And the NFL is perhaps the most [controversy-averse] (https://www.newsday.com/opinion/editorial/nfl-national-anthem-1.18705638) of all the major leagues. It's also a matter of timing. Nike, one of the most influential brands in sports, debuted a campaign featuring Kaepernick, one of the most polarizing figures in sports, the very same week the NFL season kicks off ー and it's all just two months shy of the midterm elections. President Trump's usually-active Twitter account was silent on the issue as of Tuesday. For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/nike-stuns-with-new-colin-kaepernick-ad).

Share:
More In Business
Al Sharpton to lead pro-DEI march through Wall Street
The Rev. Al Sharpton is set to lead a protest march on Wall Street to urge corporate America to resist the Trump administration’s campaign to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The New York civil rights leader will join clergy, labor and community leaders Thursday in a demonstration through Manhattan’s Financial District that’s timed with the anniversary of the Civil Rights-era March on Washington in 1963. Sharpton called DEI the “civil rights fight of our generation." He and other Black leaders have called for boycotting American retailers that scaled backed policies and programs aimed at bolstering diversity and reducing discrimination in their ranks.
A US tariff exemption for small orders ends Friday. It’s a big deal.
Low-value imports are losing their duty-free status in the U.S. this week as part of President Donald Trump's agenda for making the nation less dependent on foreign goods. A widely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 or less is set to end starting on Friday. Trump already ended the “de minimis” rule for inexpensive items sent from China and Hong Kong, but having to pay import taxes on small parcels from everywhere else likely will be a big change for some small businesses and online shoppers. Purchases that previously entered the U.S. without needing to clear customs will be subject to the origin country’s tariff rate, which can range from 10% to 50%.
Southwest Airlines’ new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here’s how
Southwest Airlines will soon require plus-size travelers to pay for an extra seat in advance if they can't fit within the armrests of one seat. This change is part of several updates the airline is making. The new rule starts on Jan. 27, the same day Southwest begins assigning seats. Currently, plus-size passengers can pay for an extra seat in advance and later get a refund, or request a free extra seat at the airport. Under the new policy, refunds are still possible but not guaranteed. Southwest said in a statement it is updating policies to prepare for assigned seating next year.
Load More