• Nike’s polarizing Colin Kaepernick ad has inspired numerous memes.
  • Everyone from meme accounts to Donald Trump Jr. are posting their own versions of the “Just Do It” ad.
  • The memeification of the Kaepernick ad is evidence of the campaign’s reach and distinctiveness.

Nike’s polarizing Colin Kaepernick ad is already a meme.

On Monday, Kaepernick shared an image on Twitter of his face with the words “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” On Wednesday, Nike released the full version of the commercial, which is narrated by Kaepernick and features a range of athletes including inspirational amateurs, Serena Williams, and LeBron James.

This week, social media has been flooded with people posting their own versions of what it means to sacrifice everything and #JustDoIt.

http://instagr.am/p/Bna9wcjnz1Phttp://instagr.am/p/BnbMSbOlCAdhttp://instagr.am/p/BnbUIrWAeMn

The style - a black-and-white photo, typically a close-up of someone's face - makes it easy to replicate for any well-known celebrity or character, or even just a random person.

http://instagr.am/p/BnapjKrhRTP

The meme has also been adopted for political purposes. One of the most popular versions includes a photo of President Donald Trump.

http://instagr.am/p/BnXG-RVHnB_

Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, additionally posted a version with Sen. Bernie Sanders with the caption "This #meme format may never get old," adding the hashtags #maga and #memewars.

http://instagr.am/p/BnbLUgfHU7B

Anthony Scaramucci, the White House communications director who was fired in July 2017 after 10 days in the role, is also seemingly a fan of the meme. He posted a photo of himself wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat with his wife, Deidre Ball, and the words in the Kaepernick ad, tagging Ball in the tweet.

Ball reportedly filed for divorce last year, saying Scaramucci took the White House job without telling her first, though the couple has since called off the divorce.

Nike's Kaepernick ad has seen a polarized response over the past week.

Critics have threatened to boycott the brand - with some people even destroying Nike socks and shoes and posting about it on social media - while others have praised it. The president described the campaign as a bad business decision, tweeting on Friday morning, "What was Nike thinking?"

However, data indicates that anger directed at Nike is already dying down. And most business and brand observers say that Nike seems to have carefully weighed the risks of running the Kaepernick ad.

The memeification of Nike's Kaepernick ad is evidence of the campaign's reach and distinctiveness. For something to become a widespread meme, it needs to have fully hit the mainstream. With characters from meme accounts to Scaramucci chiming in, it seems that a huge chunk of people across the US have at least heard of the campaign, whether or not they support it.

And the ease with which Kaepernick's image can be transformed while retaining its connection to the original speaks to the stylistic power of the ad. Nike has a history of innovative advertising and has created some iconic images over the years. The memes only make it more likely that the Kaepernick ad will become the brand's latest iconic creation.

Read more about Nike's Colin Kaepernick ad: