Everyone had an opinion about Nike’s “Dream Crazy” ad campaign starring Colin Kaepernick, Serena Williams and LeBron James. It earned praise, set off shoe burnings and boycotts and just won an award at the Creative Arts Emmys in Los Angeles for outstanding commercial.
The “Dream Crazy” two-minute commercial builds on the tweet from the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback urging fans to “Believe in something. Even if it means losing everything.”
Listen to GHOGH with Jamarlin Martin | Episode 67: Jamarlin Martin
Jamarlin goes solo to discuss the NFL’s entertainment and “social justice” deal with Jay-Z. We look back at the Barclays gentrification issue in the documentary “A Genius Leaves The Hood: The Unauthorized Story of Jay-Z.”
While reactions to the ad were mixed, it gave Nike a financial boost, Footwear News reported. The sportswear giant’s stock hit an all-time high within days of the commercial’s release. Social media mentions for Nike spiked to 5 million in three days.
“Dream Crazy” was part of Nike’s 30th-anniversary celebration of its “Just Do It” platform. The ad was made with ad agency Wieden+Kennedy and production company Park Pictures.
Kaepernick narrates the commercial, and spots include Serena Williams and LeBron James. However, the centerpiece is Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback who started a movement by kneeling in 2016 to protest police brutality and racism. He has been unsigned by an NFL team since 2017. His protests attracted widespread support and negative attention from President Donald Trump.
Nike beat out Apple’s “Behind the Mac” and “Shot on iPhone” campaigns, and Netlfix, with its “A Great Day in Hollywood” ad from Kamp Grizzly and Sandy Hook Promise, Ad Age reported.
Earlier this year, “Dream Crazy” won other awards including the inaugural Entertainment Grand Prix for Sport and the Outdoor Grand Prix at Cannes, among other industry honors.
