Colin Kaepernick’s Nike Ad Wins an Emmy for Best Commercial
Colin Kaepernick‘s headline-making Nike commercial, “Dream Crazy,” has taken home an Emmy.
The 2-minute ad — which was first released in September of last year and was part of the company’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign — received the award for outstanding commercial at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sunday night.
In the commercial, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, 31, narrates an inspiring message about the power of dreaming big and encourages fans to “believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
His monologue not only references the #TakeaKnee movement he spearheaded in 2016 but also honors other legendary athletes who have overcome career challenges, including NBA star Lebron James, tennis great Serena Williams U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team and other incredible athletes who have defied the odds.
RELATED: Nike’s Colin Kaepernick-Starring Commercial Just Earned an Emmy Nomination
Following its release, the commercial quickly sparked controversy with some threatening to boycott Nike due to its inclusion of Kaepernick. Other’s burned their Nike shoes in videos shared to social media and a university in Missouri, College of the Ozarks, even dropped the brand, according to CNN.
President Donald Trump also slammed the company on Twitter following the ad, claiming that Nike was “getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts,”
Despite the backlash, sales for the company actually increased more than 31 percent directly following the commercial, and their stocks reached an all-time high. According to CNN, Nike also gained 170,000 Instagram followers after the ad aired.
Nike’s decision to feature Kaepernick, who has been a face for the brand since 2011, came after he first made headlines for declining to stand during the national anthem when it was played prior to the start of NFL games. Instead of standing, the football star kneeled to protest racial injustice and police brutality.
In March 2017, he opted out of his contract with the 49ers and has not been signed to a new team since.
He filed a collusion grievance with the NFL in May 2018 which was settled out of court in February, according to a statement from his attorneys, who also confirmed a settlement was reached with Eric Reid, 27, who was one of the first players to join him in his protest.
The terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
