Entertainer Nick Cannon is the latest celebrity who felt inspired by Nike’s new ad narrated by free-agent NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. So much so, that Cannon allegedly bought all the black Nike socks at a Los Angeles store on Thursday and donated them to the homeless.
“Drove pass Nike store (sic) and felt compelled to buy all the (black) socks in the store and donate them to the homeless,” Cannon wrote on Instagram.
Cannon said the gesture was done in Kaepernick’s honor.
Nike unveiled earlier this week that quarterback and social activist Kaepernick would be the face of its newest advertisements celebrating the 30th anniversary of the company’s “Just Do It” campaign.
The two-minute spot, released Wednesday on Twitter, highlights superstar athletes LeBron James, Serena Williams and others, and touches on the controversy of NFL players protesting racial inequality, police brutality and other issues by demonstrating during the national anthem. Nike reportedly bought air time for the ad to be broadcasted during NFL’s Thursday Night Football.
Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/x5TnU7Z51i
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 5, 2018
While Nike’s ad has received a lot of positive recognition from athletes including James, Bears outside linebacker Sam Acho and tennis star Serena Williams, it’s also sparked backlash.
Videos and pictures surfaced on various social media platforms this week of angry consumers cutting up or burning their Nike merchandise in protest.
President Donald Trump also criticized the ad and said Nike is sending a “terrible message” by featuring Kaepernick, who protested police brutality during the 2016 season by taking a knee during the national anthem before games.
“But I think it’s a terrible message that they’re sending and the purpose of them doing it, maybe there’s a reason for them doing it,” Trump told The Daily Caller. “But I think as far as sending a message, I think it’s a terrible message and a message that shouldn’t be sent. There’s no reason for it.”
Contributing: Associated Press