QUICK READ: Nike has used various tools to con the public in believing that they are a brand that cares. From using faux spokespeople to paying slave wages in Southeast Asia Nike is not a brand that people believe it is.
Scott Galloway is a bestselling author and professor of marketing at NYU Stern School of Business. He is great at building his personal brand but he should get out of academia and try working in marketing in the real world.
Professor Galloway recently said “I feel stronger when I wear Nike products. The company is also likely the best advertiser in modern business history. I know many of the people who work there, across many levels of management and at their agency, Wieden+Kennedy. They are sincere about making the world a better place through athletics and competition”. He is wrong. Nike has us all conned. Here’s how…
1ne: The Health Department received a complaint that a Nike warehouse wasn’t being cleaned thoroughly or allowing for social distancing. Its inspector wasn’t allowed inside. Twenty-one workers have tested positive for COVID-19 at Nike’s Memphis locations. But Nike turned away a public health official From Its warehouse days After a worker with COVID-19 died
2wo: Nile moved production of some of its shoes to Vietnam after a country in SE Asia raised the wages a dollar. The people who build Nike shoes in Vietnam are working on slave wages. A 2018 report by the Clean Clothes Campaign, found that Nike was paying “poverty” wages to workers. The report called on both Nike to commit to paying “living” wages (the amount of income needed to provide a decent standard of living) to its workers.
3hree: Using Kaepernick as a ad position. OK many people that Kaepernick deserves a huge pat on the back for his kneeling during the national anthem but let’s be honest. Kaepernick’s NFL career was on a downward spiral when he finally found “the cause”.
In the years following Kaepernick’s two NFC Championship appearances, the QB fell off from his productive start in the league. The 49ers went 8-8 the next season, and it only got worse from there. Kaepernick played his last NFL season in 2016-17. He went 1-10 as a starter and threw for just 2,241 yards in his 11 starts.
In the 2016-17 NFL season, Colin Kaepernick was in the bottom half of production for quarterbacks. His 2,241 yards passing ranked 29th in the league. His quarterback rating was also near the bottom of the league. He ranked 23rd in the NFL with a 49.2 QBR.
Accuracy was Kaepernick’s biggest issue since the Super Bowl season. He was 26th in the league in completion percentage (59.2) in 2016-17. He threw just four interceptions all year, but he was also near the bottom of the league with just 16 touchdown passes.
When Kaepernick’s numbers started to decline and he was in danger of being cut he found kneeling and wore his hair like a black man. I’m sorry but he was great at PR but has no substance.
In summary Nike has conned us all. Prof Galloway should get out of his office and try working more in the real world instead of enhancing his personal brand which is going to his head.
