[semantic]

Yes, those who suggest Nike made some kind of misguided mistake are merely exposing their own terrible ignorance. (Or, are completely cognizant, but they gotta create that click bait content.) It will might be a huge marketing mistake, but it was one which was carefully considered by very experienced and seasoned professionals.

Ultimately, it's really about the billions of young people overseas markets: S American, India & China. If they can increase brand identity to personalize supposed activism against the US and/or authority, it's well worth pissing off mere 150m Americans. As a two-fer, the very people who are reacting against the ad (middle class white Americans) are the very source of disdain any youth marketing campaign would be pointing to for their new customers to "rebel" against.

Genius, actually. Of course, we'll see if the strategy works; there are never any guarantees even for the best laid plans of mice & men.

[GOP Poet]

Well sadly for Nike the results are in. The genius you mentioned has resulted not in brilliant results, It's now a fantastic marketing lesson on what NOT to do. It's now known that even young african americans as well as non race specific, young people are not happy with what Nike's done.

So I guess now the final analysis awaits the still undocumented global market you mentioned.

Well see. $4 billion is a lot of money to lose over a three day weekend. And that doesn't take into consideration what's to follow and their financial loss alongside the NFL with their mutual contract. Also the massive shift of perception in their brand has hurt them in ways not yet measurable.