Colin Kaepernick may be the face of a recently unveiled Nike campaign, but he's taking steps to protect who can capitalize on his likeness going forward.
Colin Kaepernick. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Kaepernick, whose new ad was released as part of the company's 30th anniversary "Just Do It" ad campaign, has filed for a trademark for a black and white image of his face and hair, according to ESPN.
The filing, made through Kaepernick's company Inked Flash, with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office claims the image would be used for various commercial items along with things like classes and seminars and even TV and movies.
The Nike campaign, which Kaepernick tweeted out, uses a different black-and-white image -- a closeup of the quarterback's face -- and the words, "Believe in something. Even it if it means sacrificing everything. Just do it."
Kaepernick, who began kneeling in protest of racial injustice during the national anthem in August of 2016, is entering a second NFL season without being a roster and has an active collusion grievance against the NFL. That case cleared a hurdle in August when the league's request to dismiss the grievance was rejected. A trial hearing that requires testimony from NFL owners could happen at some point in the future.
Reuters
