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Members of the Rutgers women's basketball team at a news conference on campus in Piscataway, N.J., Tuesday, April 10, 2007, following a racial slur against the team made on air by radio personality Don Imus. Nike has launched a campaign in hopes of stirring a race and inequality debate.
Don Imus might be off the air as a result of his racial slur against the Rutgers women's basketball team, but Nike hopes that America will still debate race and inequality.
The shoe and sports apparel company has launched a sharp new ad campaign that it hopes will push the issue further.
"Thank you, ignorance," the ad starts. "Thank you for starting the conversation. Thank you for making an entire nation listen to the Rutgers team story. And for making us wonder what other great stories we've missed. Thank you for reminding us to think before we speak."
Nike has sponsored the Rutgers' men and women's basketball teams for several years and felt "it was time to move the conversation forward," according to Dean Stoyer, director of U.S. media relations for Nike.
"It's about reminding people that whether it's racism, sexism, inequality or simply just ignorance to all of the above, that the conversation has been started, it's been elevated and let's keep it moving forward. Let's not forget."
The ad first appeared Sunday on Page 5 of The New York Times sports section. Monday and Tuesday, Nike will also launch a digital version on ESPN.com, which is a sister site of ABCNEWS.com, as well as FOXSports.com, Cosmogirl.com and Seventeen.com.
Viewers of the online ad will be able to forward it to their friends.
"I think it's brilliant," said Barbara Lippert, an advertising critic for Adweek. "I don't think they are taking advantage of the situation. I think they have a clear right and understanding of what goes into being an athlete and trying to communicate it."
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=3046660