Nike does it again

    • Gold Top Dog

    Nike does it again

    Some of you may remember a shoe ad from Nike a number of years ago.  It featured rottweilers and pitbulls sparring.  At that point in time,  I started my personal boycott of Nike products.  I wrote to them expressing my dismay with the campaign and was more or less told, who cares this targets an audience that makes us money.
     
    Well they have just come out in support of their current marketing agreement/approach with Michael Vick.  Gonna have to write again and I hope there may be other like minded individuals who would contact the company as well.
    • Gold Top Dog
    mrv,
     
    Do you have the contact info? I would be happy to write as well. I am not a fan of Nike either and this only makes it worse... .
    • Gold Top Dog
    I used the Nike.com site last time, and will do so again.  I also plan to write to local retailers that carry Nike products.  Just sent an email off to Kohls.  Now  on to others.
    • Silver
    • Gold Top Dog
    That is a turn around from the reply to my email early this afternoon indicating they had no intention of changing any plans and would continue to monitor the situation.  Finally, Nike listened.
     
    copy of their response and my original email sent this AM
     
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    Subject
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Michael Vick


    Discussion Thread
    ---------------------------------------------------------------
    Response (Dena) - 07/19/2007 08:40 AM
    Thank you for contacting us regarding Michael Vick.

    There is no change in the status of the agreement between Nike and
    football player Michael Vick. Nike will continue to monitor the situation,
    but has nothing further to say at this time.

    We appreciate that you took the time to contact us and your feedback
    will be passed along to the proper department.

    Sincerely,

    Nike

    Customer - 07/19/2007 07:08 AM
    I have boycotted Nike products since the ad campaign featuring sparring
    dogs. My inital contact with the company via email essentially told me
    that the ad targeted a population that was contributing significantly
    to the companies bottom line.  Apparently that philosophy contines with
    the current situation and the endorsement aggreements with an NFL
    player currently under indictment for federal and state dog fighting
    crimes.

    I find it extremely disheartening that the company continues to use
    this violent and degrading sport as part of is marketing strategy.

    • Gold Top Dog
    After trying to write to Nike last night to thank them for deciding to pull the shoes with Vicks name that were to be released this summer,,, I find that they are still doing tee shirts and other things with his name.
    Kind of upsetting...I have done what I can to let Nike know that Vick tees and shoes are nothing like the Air Jordans that my kids bought years ago.... I would NOT allow them to wear Michael Vick things after this story.
    • Gold Top Dog
    Here is the Nike ad The Battle:
     
    [linkhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=LSHQv9FhvVA]http://youtube.com/watch?v=LSHQv9FhvVA[/link]
     
    The clip of the two dogs snarling at one another comes at about the 55 second mark. Responding to criticism several years ago about the snarling dogs, here's what a Nike spokesperson said:
     
    “People have to understand the youth culture we cater to. Our market is the urban, edgy, hip-hop culture.”
     
     
     
    • Gold Top Dog
    Yup and the only thing that matters is the bottom line.
    • Gold Top Dog
    HHHmmmmm that was in 2003...wonder what Nike thinks about this in 2007!!!!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    1
    • Gold Top Dog
    Well the initial response to my current email of protest received a "we are sticking with our original plans"  last Thursday AM.  Then the press release saying the new shoe was delayed.  Soooo bottom line is still in the lead.
    • Gold Top Dog
    I guess they stopped the shoe idea...but are still leaving the tees and other Vick garb on the market!
    • Gold Top Dog




    [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]Tell Nike to Cancel Michael Vick's Endorsement Contract:http://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4[/link]
    To stop receiving this newsletter, please visit: [link>http://www.care2.com/newsletters/unsub/81/0/7413945/ce5b4c44]http://www.care2.com/newsletters/unsub/81/0/7413945/ce5b4c44[/link][/size]


    [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4][/link] Hi
    You're probably just as disturbed as we are by the felony dogfighting charges against NFL quarterback Michael Vick. We're proud to bring you an urgent action alert today from our partner Working Assets and ActForChange.com to [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]urge Nike to drop their lucrative sponsorship of Michael Vick immediately[/link]. Thank you for caring and acting today!
















    Does Michael Vick Fit
    Nike's Corporate Responsibility Goals?

    The allegations of animal abuse are simply shocking. Nike should cancel Michael Vick's endorsement contract immediately.


    [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4][/link]
    [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]Tell Nike: Cancel Michael Vick's Endorsement Contract[/link]

    Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was indicted last week on felony charges of dog fighting. Contained in the indictment are even more disturbing allegations: that Vick himself tortured and killed several animals who were wounded or could not fight.

    When authorities raided Vick's Virginia house they found, among other things, 66 dogs (mostly pit bulls), a dog-fighting pit, bloodstained carpets and equipment commonly associated with dogfighting. Yet despite this evidence, Nike has not yet canceled their multimillion-dollar endorsement deal with Vick. This is simply wrong -- and needs to change right away.

    [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]Click here to tell Nike: cancel Michael Vick's endorsement contract.[/link]

    Nike has also said it has no plans to pull merchandise bearing Vick's name from store shelves. In contrast, even the owner of Vick's football team, the Atlanta Falcons, has seen fit to suspend him from the NFL owing to the sickening nature of the charges against him

    We agree with Nike, of course, that Mr. Vick is entitled to his constitutional rights of due process under the law. However, there's no constitutional guarantee of a lucrative endorsement deal. Nike should be thinking long and hard right now; your messages will let them know that the American public does NOT approve of the vicious and bloodthirsty practice of dogfighting.

    [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]Click here to send messages to Nike's CEO and V.P. of Corporate Responsibility that they should drop Michael Vick's endorsement contract immediately.[/link]

    Cruel and inhumane activities such as dogfighting will continue unabated unless powerfully rebuked from all sectors of our society. Nike needs to step up and play their part, so please [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]take action today[/link].

    Please share this message with all your friends who want to see dogfighting stigmatized!

    Send your message here: [linkhttp://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4]http://go.care2.com/e/sBG5/lUX7/ojb4[/link]




    Thank you for taking action today,



    I got this in my email today.