As seen on BigSpeak.com

By now you’ve heard about Nike’s ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick and you most definitely have an opinion about it. BigSpeak exclusive speaker and celebrity branding expert Jeetendr Sehdev says that’s exactly the point. It doesn’t matter how you feel about it. In today’s world of branding and advertising, the best thing a company can do is get people talking.

Right now Nike is at the forefront of everyone’s mind and Kaepernick, who seemed to have been slowly fading into the background, has reappeared on the scene. Sehdev explains when it comes to personal branding and company branding consumers’ desires have changed. They value honesty, transparency, and authenticity. Taking a stand—any stand—makes your audience feel like you are being real with them about your company’s values. They want to feel connected to what they are buying into on a deeper level.

In his interview with Forbes, Sehdev is credited with inspiring the ad’s tagline “Believe in something even if it means sacrificing everything.” In his bestselling book The Kim Kardashian Principle and throughout his marketing keynote speeches, he claims that the most important part of branding is to “sacrifice everything if you believe in something.”

To hear his full talk about branding in the age of the Kardashians click here.

Whether or not he agrees with the ad, Sehdev believes it will help boost both Nike’s business and Kaepernick’s personal brand. He says over the years he’s watched the evolution of branding enough to know that this ad has helped keep Kaepernick relevant, as well as appealed to the authenticity consumers crave.

To get people talking about your company, check out BigSpeak’s Marketing and Branding Keynote Speakers.

Jessica Welch is the Content Marketing Associate at BigSpeak Speakers Bureau, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Anthropology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her business thought articles often appear on Business 2 Community, Born 2 Invest, and YF Entrepreneurs.