Nike to Drop Offensive Hyperdunk Ads

Nike said Friday it would pull its print ads for its Hyperdunk basketball shoes, responding to criticism that they fed homophobic views.

Nike previously defended the ads but said it would withdraw them as quickly as possible "to underline our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and the workplace," The [Portland] Oregonian reported.

The ads, which were created by Portland's Wieden+Kennedy agency, were titled "That Ain't Right," "Isn't That Cute," and "Punks Jump Up."

One ad showed a basketball player dunking over another. The crotch of the player dunking was planted firmly in the other player's face. The ad sported a large tag line: "That Ain't Right."

Earlier, Nike had said the ads were "based purely upon a common insight from within the game of basketball -- the athletic feat of dunking on the opposition -- and is not intended to be offensive."

Nike also reiterated its "history of supporting athletes regardless of their sexual orientation." Nike has been praised by gay rights advocates for supporting a 2007 Oregon law banning discrimination against gays in work, housing, and public places.

An after hours call to Nike corporate communications rang unanswered Friday. (AP)

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Name: Barry
Date posted: 8/5/2008 7:08:00 AM
Hometown: Holland

Comment:
Tut tut....changing the title like that to fit it for you own needs.... Still, whoever complains about it being offensive has to be a really sad person.
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Name: David
Date posted: 8/4/2008 8:36:00 PM
Hometown: Burke

Comment:
You speak the truth, Evil Ted.
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Name: Jared
Date posted: 8/4/2008 6:10:00 PM
Hometown: Toronto

Comment:
way to change the title
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Name: Dan
Date posted: 8/4/2008 6:07:00 PM
Hometown: Toronto

Comment:
*sees Advocate's breach of journalistic integrity* "That Ain't Right"
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Name: Konrad
Date posted: 8/4/2008 5:19:00 PM
Hometown: Port Coquitlam, BC

Comment:
Shame on you advocate.com. How dare you change an AP headline to fit your own views! Shame shame shame...
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Name: Dan
Date posted: 8/4/2008 4:52:00 PM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:
They definitely changed the headline, I see it Evil Ted!!!
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Name: marcus
Date posted: 8/4/2008 3:57:00 PM
Hometown: sacramento

Comment:
1.) These ads are not offensive at all. 2.) This site changed the title of the original AP article on this subject, which i find extremely offensive.
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Name: Josh
Date posted: 8/4/2008 3:31:00 PM
Hometown: Portland

Comment:
I'm going to agree with Mike. Any kind of opinion aside, a publication with any kind of journalistic integrity shouldn't be reproducing an AP article with an editorial headline...
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Name: Cecil
Date posted: 8/4/2008 12:04:00 PM
Hometown: London, UK

Comment:
I still don't understand how those ads could be seen as "offensive" to gay people. I was not offended by them at all -- it is a simple fact of playing basketball that you don't want someone dunking with their crotch in your face... but anyway, this is the way to increase divisions in society -- by complaining about anything and everything as "homophobic".
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Name: Mike
Date posted: 8/4/2008 11:52:00 AM
Hometown: San Diego

Comment:
You should not be altering the title of AP asticles to fit your agenda... shame on you.

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