Nike is easily one of the most
recognizable athletic shoe brands in the whole world. It made shoe lines
specifically tailored for star athletes like Michael Jordan throughout its
recent history. But a good name and endorsements are not always enough to
escape controversy. From third-world “sweatshop” manufactories, to child labor
rumors, to accusations of poor quality when a US NCAA player’s shoes burst
in-game leading to injury, to being ostracized for sponsoring NFL activist
player Colin Kaepernick, Nike has weathered much. But even they make mistakes
that even the endorsers they sponsor would call them out on. Take for instance
a new American-flag shoe they introduced, that had a US flag from the wrong
century.
CNN has it that Nike has issued an immediate recall of their Air
Max 1 Quick Strike “Fourth of July” sneakers, after receiving a complaint that
its American flag motif, shortly after they were shipped to retailers following
a complain they received about the design. The company noted that the Nike Air
Max 1 variant in question, which was to be released to coincide with the Fourth
of July celebration, featured an early version of the flag that some consumers considered
to be offensive. One of these consumers was former NFL player Colin Kaepernick
himself.
The flag on the Air Max 1 Quick
Strike Fourth of July featured the 13-star (arranged in a circle) and 13-stripe
version that had been in use during the American Revolution and a few years
afterward (1777-1795). The stars and stripes represented the original 13 Colonies
of Great that became the first States of the US. Originally slated for a July 1
release in stores for $140 a pair, the complaints received led to Nike cutting
the debut short and requesting all retailers to send the shoes back. Kaepernick
was unavailable for comment regarding the recall spurred by his complaint.
In this day and age Nike has had
to walk a tightrope between doing business and potentially setting off an
easily irritable public on account of any action being given a political spin.
This is evident in a decision they made last month to halt sales of Nike stuff
in China, due to Chinese backlash against the company when one of their fashion
design collaborators expressed support for the Hong Kong protests on social
media. The company has not clarified if any US consumers managed to buy the special-edition
Air Max 1 ahead of release.
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