At this point the “Just Do It” campaign has been on every news outlet across the country. Typically I would join in the discussion, but with so many opinions on the matter another voice would simply be noise. Instead it’s more important to shed a light on why Nike is capable of picking a side on an issue that is divisive. Nike doesn’t simply “ride the wave” of a movement. The brand often instigates and agitates. It’s a part of the company DNA. The brand also tends to be at the forefront of events at the local level wherever there is a Nike Factory Store, Clearance Store or Nike warehouses. Colin Kaepernick may be big news, but in the coming week Memphis will be hosting one of its biggest events.
The Southern Heritage Classic isn’t quite the event that the Bayou Classic is for New Orleans, but it’s moving that way. The entire time that Fred Jones Jr. has been hosting the big game between HBCU’s Jackson State and Tennessee State here in Memphis at the Liberty Bowl, Nike has been a sponsor. The events surrounding the Southern Heritage include concerts and of course Battle of the Bands, but a new addition to the weekend is in partnership with Nike.
I was doing a retail visit at Nike Clearance Store and Nike Athlete Fred Griffin told me that he was extremely excited about the Classic/NIKE Kids 3K 9 a.m., National Civil Rights Museum. Run/Walk for ages 6-14. Registration CLICK HERE. He is helping to coordinate the event for Nike, but Nike is taking their participation one step further.
From Sept. 6-10, the Nike Store in Frayser is offering a special 40 percent discount to JSU & TSU alums – but there’s [a] catch: You have to “pre-register” for the sale, and you’ll need to verify your identity on your chosen day to go. (Translation: Yes, you will be carded.)
“It’s a huge weekend for football and we just wanted to bring some awareness,” said Ekina Brown, a Nike marketing rep. “People know about the employee store. So we’d just like to extend that benefit to them as well.”
When people state that Nike is making a mistake by backing Colin Kaepernick, what those people are failing to realize is that when a company is always active and present in the community they will always gain new fans. In Memphis and in other cities, Nike doesn’t simply sell sneakers, they became an active participant in providing support for events. The Southern Heritage Classic won’t show up on the national radar. Nike’s 3K run for Kids won’t show up on the national radar. Nike opening the doors to their employee store for alums of TSU and JSU may not show up on the radar of national news, but for the tri-state area of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas this small investment of both money and time resonates in a way that tells me that the decision to “Just Do It” with Colin Kaepernick is really the tip of the iceberg for a company that “Just Gets It”.
