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Nike’s social media engagement soars after it takes a stand on the death of George Floyd

Whether it’s supporting former NFL star and social activist Colin Kaepernick, rethinking the symbolism of the Betsy Ross flag on a sneaker, or its recent “Just don’t do it!” statement condemning the death of George Floyd — Nike continues call the right play on social justice issues.

According to data analytics firm Thinknum, Nike’s (NKE) 'Don’t turn your back on racism' social media campaign is its most successful social justice effort to date. The firm tracked Nike’s Facebook (FB) mentions, which showed that the brand’s “chatter” on the social network spiked the weekend following the release of its campaign.

“Nike chatter shot to multi-year highs in recent days, even as looters pillaged some of its retail locations. ... Nearly 800,000 people - triple its usual chatter - were talking about Nike on the social network, and it's a figure that could yet rise in days to come,” according to Thinknum.

Nike didn’t only respond publicly regarding the murder of George Floyd, but also to its employees. In a recent email to staff obtained by Yahoo Finance, Nike CEO John Donahoe laid out where the brand stands on social justice issues.

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“Let me be as clear as I can: Nike is opposed to bigotry. We are opposed to hatred and inequality in all its forms, indirect and overt. While Nike cannot solve injustice, I believe we have a responsibility to work toward addressing it to the best of our ability.”

A demonstrator holds a sign reading "Stop Killing Us" in front of the Ohio Statehouse in Downtown Columbus, Ohio June 1, 2020 to peacefully protest the death of George Floyd. - Local US leaders appealed to citizens to give constructive outlet to their rage over the death of an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, while night-time curfews were imposed in cities including Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. (Photo by SETH HERALD / AFP) (Photo by SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images)

Reggie Wade is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter at @ReggieWade.

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