Nike released an advertisement last week with Colin Kaepernick. It is a close up photo of Kaepernick’s face with the words “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything,” a reference to Kaepernick’s protest against police violence against unarmed black men in America by kneeling during the national anthem. Kaepernick, who led the San Fransisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2013, is a free agent who has not played in the NFL in over two years. He recently filed a lawsuit against the NFL alleging collusion to keep him out of the league. With his kneeling for the anthem a hot debate topic of the past two years, Nike likely expected this ad would lead to mixed reactions around the country. Even after making it clear he was not protesting the National Anthem itself, many are critical of Kaepernick. Many who do not support Kaepernick’s protests are now boycotting Nike. Videos surfaced on social media of people burning their own Nike shoes. Along with the scrutiny, there has been many supporters of the Nike ad, and many other professional athletes publicly state they stand with Nike.

President Trump commented on Nike’s move by tweeting “Nike is getting absolutely killed by anger and boycotts”. Nike’s stock fell by just over three percent the Wednesday morning after placing the ad. However, Nike does not appear intimidated, as their stock is up over 50 percent from last year. Nike was well aware of the criticism to come, this not their first time sponsoring controversial athletes such as Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant. A large percentage of those now boycotting Nike happen to be older people, who are not a priority market target for Nike. Many of the company’s consumers openly stand with Kaepernick.

Nike wanted to make a bold statement on where they stands on this social issue, and they did just that. Large corporations typically avoid showing their stance on political and social issues. However, Nike CEO Mark Parker has openly criticized President Trump’s immigration policies. Nike was a major topic in the media in the week after the ad. Company stock fell by about four percent in days following the ad. Despite the fall, the Nike believed this would ultimately help the company long-term. It appears Nike made a good move, as their stock hit an all time high after the initial drop.

Many who do not support Kaepernick and his decision to kneel during the anthem may now realize they have misunderstood Kaepernick’s actions. The Nike Kaepernick advertisement could be a huge step for those who don’t understand the actual purpose of Kaepernick’s protest. While there has been much buzz, some good, and some bad, one thing is clear; Nike stands with their athletes.