Nike Dream Crazy: The Ad That Risked Everything and Won

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:00:00 +0000

On September 3, 2018, Nike posted a black-and-white close-up photograph of Colin Kaepernick’s face with the words: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. Just Do It.” Within hours, the internet had split. Nike’s stock dropped two percent. Videos of people burning their Nike shoes circulated on social media. The hashtag #BoycottNike trended nationally.

Three days later, Nike aired “Dream Crazy” — a two-minute film narrated by Kaepernick and built around athletes achieving the impossible — and the cultural calculus shifted completely. The full film hit 26 million views in the first week. Nike’s online sales increased 31% in the days immediately following the campaign launch. By the end of 2018, the company’s market value had grown by over $6 billion.

Wieden+Kennedy Portland on Inside That Ad

Nike Dream Crazy: The Ad That Risked Everything and Won