Last year, Nike released an ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick, who gained both public support and extensive backlash for kneeling as a form of protest during US national anthem. The reception of the ad was mixed, with many threatening to boycott Nike for their support of the controversial former quarterback.
Others chose to respond to them with memes.
However, the public reaction didn’t prevent Nike from tackling important and controversial issues in their ads. Recently, Nike released a follow-up ad during the Oscars, this time featuring the most prominent women in sports.
Narrated by tennis icon Serena Williams, the video sends a powerful message to all of the women in sport, telling them not to stop just because someone thinks they are crazy.
“If we show emotion, we’re called dramatic. If we want to play against men, we’re nuts. And if we dream of equal opportunity — delusional. When we stand for something, we’re unhinged. When we’re too good, there’s something wrong with us.”
“And if we get angry, we’re hysterical, irrational or just being crazy. So if they want to call you crazy, fine. Show them what crazy can do,” Williams says in the video.
This time, Nike is generating a lot more positive buzz with this new ad. Many people have expressed praises to the video which encourages women to continue to break barriers.
Watch the new Nike Dream Crazier ad below
Here’s how people reacted
