The internet went to work generating a bunch of hilarious memes after Nike released its 'Just Do It' ad Wednesday featuring Colin Kaepernick. Here's a sampling. Well that didn't take long at all. Not even 24 hours after Nike released its new 'Just Do It' ad featuring former NFL quarterback/civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick, the Internet did what it does best. Sports fans and wanna be comedians took to social media recreating the main image of the ad replacing Kaepernick's face with a host of other famous people. Some made attempts at being serious using members of the military and even Sept. 11 images. Others used athletes with quotes that are hilarious. Here's a sampling. Nike's original ad: Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO — Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018 I want to congratulate Anthony Weiner on his new Nike deal... #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/3rHJBZAQ5p — Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) September 5, 2018 Who did this?! pic.twitter.com/m5K2dvdwZx — Titletown Sound Off (@Titletownsound) September 4, 2018 Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/lQsscuv6R8 — Chiringuito NFL (@ChiringuitoNFL) September 6, 2018 Wasnt going to get into this but as a fan of The Office I am literally crying right now #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/TTvgkOAlZy — Jesse Reeves (@JesseReevesFF) September 5, 2018<doc-sep>Following the launch of American football kneeler Colin Kaepernick’s Nike advertisement, social media users began to make their own versions mocking the shoe company. Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO — Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018 Hollywood actor Adam Baldwin tweeted a Nike advertisement parody which criticized the company’s use of sweatshops. https://twitter.com/AdamBaldwin/status/1036962421452169216 OAN correspondent Jack Posobiec used a picture of retired Gen. Michael Flynn, while some accounts posted modified versions of the Nike advertisement featuring scenes from World War 2. I’ll just leave this here pic.twitter.com/9DxNPgLqVB — Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) September 4, 2018 Here @Nike this is a much better ad pic.twitter.com/clU2NLEYr7 — CountryGirl MI 🇺🇸 (@EthicalLoyal) September 4, 2018 Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.#WeStand pic.twitter.com/icOJzJRfaP — Joe Chenelly 🇺🇸 (@jchenelly) September 4, 2018 Many users made the point that former NFL player Pat Tillman, who lost his life in combat after sacrificing his NFL career to join the military, would better represent Nike’s slogan than Kaepernick. This is what you should have done. pic.twitter.com/5qdsQNxd4f — F L O C K I N C. (@JordyAri) September 4, 2018 Others opted to mock the shoe company with controversial figures both real and fictional. believe in something. even if it means sacrificing everything. pic.twitter.com/RbGAoBMuHb — J. Arthur Bloom (@j_arthur_bloom) September 4, 2018<doc-sep>Nike's polarizing Colin Kaepernick ad has inspired numerous memes. Everyone from meme accounts to Donald Trump Jr. are posting their own versions of the "Just Do It" ad. The memeification of the Kaepernick ad is evidence of the campaign's reach and distinctiveness. Nike's polarizing Colin Kaepernick ad is already a meme. On Monday, Kaepernick shared an image on Twitter of his face with the words "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." On Wednesday, Nike released the full version of the commercial, which is narrated by Kaepernick and features a range of athletes including inspirational amateurs, Serena Williams, and LeBron James. This week, social media has been flooded with people posting their own versions of what it means to sacrifice everything and #JustDoIt. Britney just did it again. By @freddiemade Show us your best #justdoit memes! #nike #kaepernick #colinkaepernick #britney #britneyspears A post shared by PRAISE MAG (@praise_mag) on Sep 7, 2018 at 3:20am PDT Sep 7, 2018 at 3:20am PDT I don't understand why this ad is getting so much controversy #nike #thanos #justdoit✔️ A post shared by Grandayy (@grandayyyyyy) on Sep 7, 2018 at 5:27am PDT Sep 7, 2018 at 5:27am PDT 🙏 #nike A post shared by 8Tech (@the8tech) on Sep 7, 2018 at 6:36am PDT Sep 7, 2018 at 6:36am PDT The style — a black-and-white photo, typically a close-up of someone's face — makes it easy to replicate for any well-known celebrity or character, or even just a random person. —Funny Or Die (@funnyordie) September 6, 2018 Morning motivation ✊🏼 #JustDoIt #colinkaepernick #nike A post shared by That Girl From Brum (@cassandramariax) on Sep 7, 2018 at 12:23am PDT Sep 7, 2018 at 12:23am PDT The meme has also been adopted for political purposes. One of the most popular versions includes a photo of President Donald Trump. There, fixed it for you. #maga A post shared by Donald Trump Jr. (@donaldjtrumpjr) on Sep 5, 2018 at 3:24pm PDT Sep 5, 2018 at 3:24pm PDT Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, additionally posted a version with Sen. Bernie Sanders with the caption "This #meme format may never get old," adding the hashtags #maga and #memewars. This #meme format may never get old🤣🇺🇸🤣🇺🇸 #maga #memewars #Repost @mchooyah A post shared by Donald Trump Jr. (@donaldjtrumpjr) on Sep 7, 2018 at 5:19am PDT Sep 7, 2018 at 5:19am PDT Anthony Scaramucci, the White House communications director who was fired in July 2017 after 10 days in the role, is also seemingly a fan of the meme. He posted a photo of himself wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat with his wife, Deidre Ball, and the words in the Kaepernick ad, tagging Ball in the tweet. Ball reportedly filed for divorce last year, saying Scaramucci took the White House job without telling her first, though the couple has since called off the divorce. Nike's Kaepernick ad has seen a polarized response over the past week. Critics have threatened to boycott the brand — with some people even destroying Nike socks and shoes and posting about it on social media — while others have praised it. The president described the campaign as a bad business decision, tweeting on Friday morning, "What was Nike thinking?" However, data indicates that anger directed at Nike is already dying down. And most business and brand observers say that Nike seems to have carefully weighed the risks of running the Kaepernick ad. The memeification of Nike's Kaepernick ad is evidence of the campaign's reach and distinctiveness. For something to become a widespread meme, it needs to have fully hit the mainstream. With characters from meme accounts to Scaramucci chiming in, it seems that a huge chunk of people across the US have at least heard of the campaign, whether or not they support it. And the ease with which Kaepernick's image can be transformed while retaining its connection to the original speaks to the stylistic power of the ad. Nike has a history of innovative advertising and has created some iconic images over the years. The memes only make it more likely that the Kaepernick ad will become the brand's latest iconic creation. Read more about Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad:<doc-sep>Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO — Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018 Fast Company closely watched the unfolding saga of Nike’s partnership with NFL QB-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick. We covered the initial print ad and the reactionary Flag Respecters burning their Nike shoes in response, as well as the unveiling of a tie-in commercial, which aired during Thursday Night Football–either a bold statement or an expert-level troll, choose your own adventure. We even speculated on Nike’s true motivation for pursuing this partnership. The one thing we haven’t examined yet, however, is how the Kaepernick ad has landed from a cultural perspective, rather than a political or a business one. Answer: It hit harder than a slam-tackle from Kam Chancellor. The main way to gauge just how popular the ad is among both supporters and detractors is its memefication. Whether you refuse to acknowledge that the NFL protests have always been about police brutality or not, you can find KaeperNike memes everywhere from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to the fetid sludgebog that is Breitbart.<doc-sep>
Remember when people smashed their expensive Keurig coffee brewers all in the name of protest? Well, this week the same phenomenon is happening with Nike products.ย On Sunday, the sportswear company announced that Colin Kaepernick is one of the faces for their new "Just Do It" campaign, to the chagrin of some and the joy of many more. Folks who are adamantly against the San Francisco 49ers' quarterback โ known for kneeling against police brutality โ have come up with a rather unusual way to protest: destroying Nike gear they already own.ย Some people have gone extreme and burned their shoes, while others have cut the logo out of their gear โ but are still wearing it? And have already paid for it? So in the end, it doesn't hurt Nike at all. Welp.ย First the @NFL forces me to choose between my favorite sport and my country. I chose country. Then @Nike forces me to choose between my favorite shoes and my country. Since when did the American Flag and the National Anthem become offensive? pic.twitter.com/4CVQdTHUH4 โ Sean Clancy (@sclancy79) September 3, 2018 Our Soundman just cut the Nike swoosh off his socks. Former marine. Get ready @Nike multiply that by the millions. pic.twitter.com/h8kj6RXe7j โ John Rich (@johnrich) September 3, 2018 My name is #Mustard and I stand for the #flag and to honer @bigandrich and their Soundman & the Prresident I am going to burn my #Nike shoes!!!!!!!! !๐บ๐ธ๐บ๐ธ๐ฅ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/MLv6uwGLsv โ Phil Braun (@playazball) September 4, 2018 A lot of people online have found the protest amusing, considering Nike will not be damaged at all by the destruction of their goods.ย Iโm going to buy some Nikes. Also people dumb enough to think people are protesting the anthem instead of protesting the deaths of unarmed African Americans are dumb enough to burn their own sneakers. https://t.co/7om4ya6DYY โ Neera Tanden ๐ (@neeratanden) September 4, 2018 Nike ran the numbers. Theyโll be ok. But please, burn your socks. โ Zach Braff (@zachbraff) September 4, 2018 Nike executives logging into twitter and seeing yโall burn the clothes that yโall already paid for pic.twitter.com/FDgg2gt0uo โ หษนวuวสววสs (@roddyonce) September 4, 2018 This is hilarious. I mean like, actually funny. Poor things. https://t.co/cODuNTek4N โ Ava DuVernay (@ava) September 4, 2018 he still using the rest of the sock tho https://t.co/TFokx46H42 โ FOOD 4 LIFE (@chrischromak) September 4, 2018 Damn can u be this mad at police brutality https://t.co/TZMttJGXzZ โ Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) September 4, 2018 CUT MY SOCKS INTO PIECES THIS IS MY LAST RESORT โ David Rudin (@DavidSRudin) September 4, 2018 Loose socks are the worst. you gotta *really* hate black folks to put up with that ๐ โ Dad (@fivefifths) September 4, 2018 ๐ถcut my socks into pieces and then i shred my shorts ๐ถ pic.twitter.com/9cvbUUDmAm โ wheels (@wheelswordsmith) September 4, 2018 A true backfire. And, listen, If you feel compelled to get rid of your Nike gear, at the very least donate it.