When it comes to some of the most renowned brands for athletic footwear and apparel, Nike is right up there. For decades now, Nike has been making shoes and apparel that are helping athletes in improving their performances. Nike has become a go-to brand for shoes for most sports aficionados.
But, how did Nike become one of the best brands in world sports? Where does it all begin for Nike? Many people don’t know the history of the brand Nike. Yes, everything has a history behind it. Even the famous “Swoosh” logo of Nike has a history to it. And, in this article, let’s tell you briefly the history of the brand Nike.
How It All Began for Nike
Let’s start this discussion on the history of the brand Nike on how things began for the now-famous brand. The company was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman in 1964. At that time, Nike was known as BRS or Blue Ribbon Sports. Both the founders of BRS were athletes at their University. BRS mainly operated as a distributor for a Japanese shoe brand Onitsuka Tiger which is now known as ASICS.
However, in 1971, things started to change as BRS wanted to launch their line of sports footwear and they named it ‘Nike’. The name resembled the one of a Greek goddess with wings and she was a symbol of victory. The “Swoosh” logo of Nike was designed by Carolyn Davidson in the same year as the brand launched their first line of footwear. Davidson only got $35 for her work at that time. The logo was first seen in a Nike shoe in the following year.
Nike’s Innovation and Growth
The two things that make Nike stand out from the rest are the innovation they showed while making footwear and the inclusive growth of their business. They have heavy competition from other brands like Puma or Adidas. But, Nike is standing its ground as one of the leading brands for athletic footwear and apparel.
1974: Waffle Trainer
– The co-founder of Nike Bill Bowerman wanted to create footwear for athletes that would provide better grip on the surface. For that, he poured rubber in a waffle iron. The result of the experiment changed athletic footwear forever.
1979: Air Cushioning
– Nike always wanted to create footwear driven by technology. They embraced this philosophy with air cushioning that was designed by Frank Rudy who was an Aerospace Engineer. From that time onwards, Nike kept on innovating by embracing newer technology to make their products better.
1988: “Just Do It”
– You must have heard the famous Nike slogan “Just Do It” right? Wieden+Kennedy, an advertising agency in Portland created this slogan for the company which has now become one of the most iconic advertising campaigns as the slogan still reverberates among sports lovers and athletes all over the world.
Nike’s Athlete Endorsements
To become a brand and go ahead of their competition, Nike needed huge names among athletes to endorse their product. Nike did exactly that by signing some of the biggest names in sports history to endorse their products which made them one of the biggest brands in their industry.
1984: Air Jordan (Michael Jordan)
– Nike managed to sign one of the biggest names in world sports ever, Michael Jordan in 1984 which ensured that Nike became a brand that most kids wanted to wear. The Air Jordan collection was a huge hit for Nike.
By the 1990s, most of the popular athletes and sports figures were signed to Nike. Names like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods were all endorsing Nike which made them a true brand in the sports industry.
Nike’s Expansion as a Brand
Currently, Nike has become one of the biggest names because they have expanded their business globally by catering to markets from all over the world. They have also acquired various other companies like Cole Haan, Bauer Hockey, Umbro, and Conserves to enlarge their product portfolio.
Final Words
Finally, now you know how Nike became such a large company. They were smart making products better for their athletes which reflected their performances. Thus, Nike will be a brand that will be there for years to come.
