The question Friday morning wasn't whether President Trump would tweet about the debut of Colin Kaepernick's Nike commercial but whether it would be the first thing he would tweet about after waking up. And there it was, first thing on the presidential docket at 6:56 a.m. “What was Nike thinking?” Trump tweeted rather briefly and directly. But if you actually watched the commercial that aired on NBC during the third quarter of season-opening games between the Falcons and Eagles, it’s pretty obvious what Nike is thinking – and it's not whether to take a knee during the national anthem. More:Woods calls Nike Kaepernick ad a 'beautiful spot' More:Jerry Falwell, Jr. exploring whether Liberty should drop Nike after Colin Kaepernick ads More:Twitter reacts to NBC airing Nike's Colin Kaepernick commercial All you need to know about Nike’s ultimate goal with the Kaepernick campaign is contained in the ad’s first minute. It begins with a skateboarder falling off a rail, a child with no legs on a wrestling mat, an African-American boy who couldn’t be 10 years old running down a dirt road, a young shadowboxing woman wearing hijab, a surfer, a Pop Warner football game and a blond girl playing high school football against boys. This isn't about consumers Nike might lose in their anger over Kaepernick. It's about cultivating an entire generation of consumers who are up for grabs at a moment where the lines between culture, politics and activism are blurry – a notion that might make older people uncomfortable but is now the coming-of-age reality for anyone under 18. Ironically, if you take Kaepernick out of the ad, there is nothing controversial about the images and words contained inside of it. “Don’t ask if your dreams are crazy; ask if they’re crazy enough” seems like it could be a tag line to practically any Nike ad campaign, a direct link to the “Just Do it” slogan the company is celebrating with a 30th anniversary push. Every one of those images connects to the overall theme of being different, of overcoming some type of obstacle or stereotype, which fits in well with why Kaepernick is here in the first place rather than playing quarterback in the NFL. But it also seems designed to appeal to teenagers, without making it necessary to align with Kaepernick’s political and social justice views. Yes, it’s Kaepernick’s voice and his image at the end, walking down a city street wearing a black mock turtleneck underneath a tan coat. But there is nothing in the ad that connects him to football or the NFL, even though his own backstory – being adopted by white parents, getting one college scholarship offer from Nevada and ultimately quarterbacking a team to the Super Bowl – contains some of the same inspirational threads as the people he’s narrating over. Moreover, the commercial’s only allusion to the protest he sparked is subtle. As the camera brings Kaepernick into view from behind – you recognize him by his Afro – he’s standing and looking at a waving American flag being projected onto a building. Then, as Kaepernick walks out of the frame, the images of the young people from earlier in the ad appear on those buildings and the words are flashed on the screen: “It’s only crazy until you do it. Just do it.” Casting Kaepernick in this light is interesting because he’s the only person in the ad who isn’t shown playing a sport or wearing some type of Nike gear. That seems intentional, as if to acknowledge that he’s moved beyond the sports context and into the zeitgeist of these political and cultural times. And when you think about what Nike’s actually trying to accomplish here, it makes perfect sense. Though Nike has been the country’s preeminent sneaker and sports apparel company for a generation, Adidas has steadily been making headway, particularly with younger people. In the second quarter of 2018, Adidas posted a $485 million profit, shattering Wall Street expectations. That followed nine consecutive quarters in which the company’s sales increased by at least 20%. Fueled by its alliance with pop culture stars such as Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, Adidas has made up significant ground and surpassed Jordan Brand (a Nike subsidiary) last year as No. 2 in the sneaker game. Nike didn’t really have a comparable face, and many of its preeminent athletes they’ve been associated with outside the NBA (such as Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Serena Williams) are at the back end of their careers and don’t necessarily identify with teenagers. But that's what shoe companies have to do: Figure out not just who their customers are now, but who their customers are going to be in five years, 10 years and beyond. That’s who this is aimed at. We’re on the cusp of welcoming a generation of kids into adulthood who grew up with politics being injected into practically every area of their lives. Whether that’s a good thing will be for others to determine, but it’s a moment that’s happening and Nike is looking for a way to capitalize on it. Kaepernick probably won’t sell a lot of shoes to my contemporaries. But would the ad that played Thursday night resonate with high school kids who are growing up in a confusing, polarized, politically active era? Nike is counting on it.<doc-sep>Nike released its first television commercial featuring Colin Kaepernick on Wednesday, just two days after the print and billboard advertisements resulted in a political firestorm. The commercial is scheduled to air during the NFL season opener Thursday night and during football games throughout the season, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. Kaepernick appears in and narrates the 2-minute spot, called "Dream Crazy," alongside Serena Williams, Lebron James and a slew of other athletes, famous and amateur. Watch the commercial below. "So don't ask if your dreams are crazy," the former 49ers quarterback says at the end of the commercial, "ask if they're crazy enough." The commercial, which is not overtly political, follows an ongoing stream of both backlash and praise after Nike announced its endorsement deal with Kaepernick on Monday. The campaign features a black-and-white photograph of Kaepernick with the phrase "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON KAP ADS: "It's a terrible message" The football star caused widespread controversy in 2016 when he began kneeling during the national anthem at games to protest police brutality. Currently unsigned, the athlete has accused the National Football League of blacklisting and is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with the league. After the Nike campaign reveal, some angry consumers began posting photos of themselves setting fire to their Nike gear in protest of the company's partnership with the divisive figure. #BoycottNike began trending on Twitter, and the company's stocks dipped 3 percent. Nike is taking a gamble on whether the risk of alienating conservatives and Donald Trump supporters are outweighed by the benefits a Kaepernick endorsement — who is one of the most talked-about athletes of the moment. SCOTT OSTLER: Is Nike backing Kaepernick a declaration of war? President Trump, who has continuously criticized Kaepernick's kneeling protests, spoke out about the advertisement. "I think it's a terrible message they're sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there's a reason for them doing it," he told the Daily Caller. "But I think as far as sending a message, I think it's a terrible message and a message that shouldn't be sent. There's no reason for it." "Nike's corporate sincerity in backing Kaepernick's cause was immediately called into question. After all, the company plans to make money by selling Kaepernick gear," wrote Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler. "But if Nike didn't have its heart and soul in this campaign," he continued, "why would the company take the enormous and obvious risk in alienating millions of customers?" Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com. Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.<doc-sep>Nike's new ad campaign celebrating the 30th anniversary of "Just Do It," which features former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, has been at the center of controversy this week. Kaepernick was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem before games in protest against racial inequality and police brutality. Some have accused him of disrespecting the American flag and military. This week, some have threatened to boycott Nike and destroyed its products in images posted to social media. This isn't the first time Nike has made a social statement in an ad. Nike's new campaign celebrating the 30th anniversary of "Just Do It," which features former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, has been at the center of controversy this week. On Monday, Kaepernick shared an image of his face on Twitter with the words "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." Nike retweeted the image, which reportedly kicks off a new multiyear deal between the former NFL player and the sportswear company. 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. Kaepernick was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem before games as part of a protest against racial inequality and police brutality. Some have accused Kaepernick and players who followed in his footsteps as disrespecting the American flag and the military, and quickly began threatening to boycott the brand in response to the ad, with some even going so far as burning their Nike shoes. Nike has a long history of using its ads to make a social statement. The "Just Do It" campaign, created by the Wieden+Kennedy agency, launched in 1988. The first commercial in the campaign featured 80-year-old Bay Area icon Walter Stack, who ran approximately 62,000 miles in his lifetime. See some of the other important ads from Nike's history:<doc-sep>Any questions about whether Nike might quickly back away from its decision to embrace the polarizing quarterback Colin Kaepernick amid threats of a boycott and criticism from President Trump dissipated on Wednesday when the company released a two-minute advertisement narrated by him and announced plans to have it run during the N.F.L.’s first telecast of the regular season. The ad, called “Dream Crazy,” features Mr. Kaepernick and other star athletes in the Nike stable, including Serena Williams and LeBron James. It implores viewers to dream big, using the inspiring stories of those stars and of everyday weekend warriors who overcame illness or disability to triumph athletically. “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” Mr. Kaepernick says over images of him watching a waving American flag projected against a building. Those words appeared in an ad that was released on Monday announcing Nike’s new partnership with Mr. Kaepernick and on a billboard of him that went up in San Francisco on Tuesday. “Nike’s ‘Dream Crazy’ campaign will air this week during sporting events such as the U.S. Open, M.L.B. and college football in addition to ‘Thursday Night Football,’ ” Josh Benedek, a Nike spokesman, said.<doc-sep>
Nike wants the country to listen to what Colin Kaepernick has to say. And on Thursday, the company will do its best to make that happen by taking on the NFL — which Kaepernick is suing for allegedly colluding to keep him unemployed as punishment for protesting police brutality — on the league’s own turf. During the NFL season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons, Nike will air a powerful commercial (as seen above) that celebrates Kaepernick and other athletes while also commemorating the 30th anniversary of its “Just Do It” ad campaign. The ad begins with an unseen narrator talking about dreams, goals, and striving to do more than you ever thought possible. As the narrator talks about the importance of embracing “crazy” dreams, we see footage and hear stories of incredible accomplishments. Some of the faces achieving those accomplishments are familiar: For example, footage of LeBron James playing basketball, as well as opening a public school, is accompanied by the line, “Don’t become the best basketball player on the planet. Be bigger than basketball.” Then comes the chill-inducing moment: “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” the voice says before revealing that Kaepernick has been narrating the entire commercial. The ad closes with footage of a young Serena Williams, as Kaepernick talks about how a girl from Compton didn’t just become a tennis player, but the greatest athlete ever. Kaepernick’s call for people to “believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything” is a reference to Kaepernick’s battle against the NFL for allegedly colluding to keep the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback out of the league over his protests against racial injustice and the police killings of unarmed black men and women. Kaepernick began kneeling during the playing of the national anthem before NFL games in 2016, and went unemployed by the league the following two years. Though Kaepernick and other NFL players who have kneeled during the national anthem maintain that their protest is about police brutality resulting in the deaths of unarmed black Americans, that hasn’t stopped their critics, including President Donald Trump, from claiming that Kaepernick is disrespecting his flag and country. And in the wake of Nike’s ad campaign, which was announced on Monday, Kaepernick’s critics began calling for a Nike boycott, with some people destroying their already purchased Nike apparel. This ad won’t make those people very happy. By kicking off its campaign with Kaepernick and including James and Williams, two transcendent athletes who have endured irrational and political criticism, Nike appears to be reemphasizing its support of Kaepernick and his message — even in the face of NFL owners and Kaepernick’s critics, one of whom is the president of the United States.