It is no secret that sporting success depends not only on a person’s skills and training, but also on his or her equipment. It was this idea that led to the creation of Nike. And presumably the story of the Nike brand would be told here.
History of the Nike brand
In 1960, Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman decided to create a company that would produce good trainers for sports. This niche was not too busy, so it was not difficult to start this business. They only had one serious competitor, Adidas, but their products were too expensive for the average buyer.
In 1963, they started supplying shoes for sale, but in the first year the managers did not make as much money as they expected. And they sold the shoes out of a small van. This may have discouraged potential buyers.
In 1960 the first official company shop was opened. This was helped by the arrival of sales manager Geoff Johnson. And by 1970, the company had several sales outlets that were sure to inspire confidence in potential customers.
In 1978, the company’s sales director suggested changing the name from Blue Ribbon Sports to Nike. The company’s management considered the suggestion and quickly accepted it. As the name was short and easy to remember, the idea was well received.
However, with all the positive business results, the company’s sole supplier decided to propose its own terms of supply, which did not suit the executives. So they quickly cancelled all contracts and found a new shoe supplier. It is true that they have now considered producing their own original shoes, which would allow them not to be so dependent on suppliers.
The first idea for their own line of shoes came from Bill Bowerman. His idea was that the soles of his shoes would be grooved, or as they called it at the time “waffle”. This allowed athletes to get a better feel for their workout, so the product quickly sold out and became very popular.
Who came up with the Nike logo?
In 1969, graphic design student Caroline Davidson of Portland State University was approached by financial advisor Phil Knight and offered to work with the Blue Ribbon Sports brand. And in 1971, at the launch of the Nike brand, it was she who created the world-famous ticker logo. It is known that the designer worked to create the logo for about 17 hours and earned $35 for her work.
A new round in Nike’s development
In 1974, the company decided to expand its production, so it opened a new headquarters in the United States. The brand’s products were actively promoted in other countries. The press was not left out either, so that in many countries the company’s advertising campaign and its ways of gaining the trust of the population began to be talked about. Most of them were aggressive articles, but they did not even have an impact on Nike’s success.
By 1980, the company had expanded considerably. Europe became the company’s main focus as demand for running and other athletic activities declined in the United States.
By 1985, it was clear that the company needed a drastic turnaround, as it had been making nothing but losses of late. And even contracts with famous athletes did not save the company from decline.
By 1991, the company was “back on its feet”, although there had been a lot of good and bad in the business lately. However, Nike was able to withstand both the competition and the discontent of the public and the press, so that it is now one of the most popular companies in the clothing and footwear market.
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