Nike urges people to stand against racism in striking new ad

Nike is urging people to not only acknowledge the racism that exists in America today, but to take a firm stand against it.

On Friday, the sportswear company dropped a powerful new ad, titled "For once, don't do it." The ad comes days after George Floyd, a black man, died when white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

Since Floyd's death on May 25, people across the country have been protesting racism and police brutality. Now, Nike — a brand that's been no stranger in recent years to speaking up against injustice— is letting everyone know exactly where it stands on the issue of race in America.

As piano music plays, the minute-long ad displays changing white text on a black background. The ad kicks off with a sobering spin on the company's slogan, "Just do it."

"For once, don't do it. Don't pretend there's not a problem in America. Don't turn your back on racism. Don't accept innocent lives being taken from us," the ad reads. "Don't make any more excuses. Don't think this doesn't affect you. Don't sit back and be silent. Don't think you can't be part of the change. Let's all be part of the change."

The newest ad was also shared alongside the hashtag, #UntilWeAllWin, which is Nike's call for equality. The hashtag has appeared in past campaigns, and the phrase "Until We All Win" is associated with Nike's Common Thread Series, a video series created in partnership with Uninterrupted that works to share stories of athletes of color.

Nike notably stood up to condemn racism and police brutality back in 2018 by making Colin Kaepernick a face of the "Just Do It" Campaign. The former quarterback was ousted from the NFL in 2016 after he began kneeling during the National Anthem in protest of police brutality and racism in the United States. He has since worked with Nike to release several powerful ads, such as the ones below, and fully embodies the quote, "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Nike also outlined its commitment to equality in detail on its website, for those who are interested in learning more.

It's not often that a brand is able to successfully weigh in on serious issues and make valuable contributions to the narratives surrounding them, but Nike continues to deliver blunt, eye-opening, no-nonsense ads that clearly resonate with people.