History of Nike. Nike. What does the logo mean? (story)

The history of the Nike brand will be of interest to all running enthusiasts.

Since about the 70s of the last century, young athletes often faced a difficult choice when buying running shoes: which company to choose when buying running pairs. American "Nika" has always been among the popular brands. Starting with running shoes and spikes, the brand now accounts for 95% of the basketball shoe supply in the United States. More than 74 thousand employees work under his name in various parts of the world. The brand's value is estimated at the most minimal estimates at $27 billion, which is the highest price among brands in the sports industry.

Let's find out how the history of Nike began, who created it and other details of the legendary brand.

How Nike was born

The history of the Nike company dates back to the 60s. At that time, Adidas reigned in the American sports shoe market. Sneakers from local manufacturers, although they were cheaper, did not suit athletes (especially mass amateurs) with their quality. The legs got very tired in them, they practically did not soften the impact on the road surface, and did not protect against injury.

University of Oregon running coach Bill Bowerman and his student Phil Knight decided to change that. Having entered into an agreement with the Japanese Onitsuka Tiger, whose sneakers were then not much inferior to Adidas' ones, but were several times cheaper, they began selling them along the entire coast of the country. The date of birth of the Blue Ribbon Sports company they founded was 1964.

Bill Bowerman works with the sole

At first, trade was carried out from Knight's van, only in the late 60s did entrepreneurs open the first sports store, and then begin to create a network of affiliates retail outlets in different states of the country. At the end of 1970, they sold goods worth 1 million. $.

Phil Knight

Independent production

The Japanese partner, having learned about the successful promotion of its products in America, decided to independently develop the American market and, on its own terms, offered to buy out BRS.

Under the threat of losing his business, Knight was able to quickly reorient himself and find a new supplier in Japan - the company Nisho Awai. At the same time, the founders of the future brand decide to start own production. Their accumulated experience told them that they could only conquer their niche in the market by releasing products that would stand out among their competitors.

The history of Nike’s creation includes many events that influenced its further development.

Once, looking at the waffle iron standing on the table in front of him, Baurman thought that such a grooved sole could enhance the support push and at the same time make the shoes lighter. The idea was soon put into practice, and sneakers with waffle-shaped soles became the most popular model in the country, and its grooved surface became a notable feature of the brand.

Bowman's wife's waffle iron

By that time, entrepreneurs began to call their products “Nika”, and in 1978 Nike, Inc. was officially registered.

The first sneaker with a waffle sole

Sports and Nike are inseparable

As people involved in sports, Knight and Bowman, from the inception of Nike and throughout its history, have focused on the sale and manufacture of sports shoes. Understanding well how important the example of champions and famous athletes is for the general public, entrepreneurs carried out individual orders for them and actively involved them in advertising their products.

The first famous athlete to actively use Niki's models was coach Bowman's student, member of the US running team, Steve Prefontaine. After him, world number one title holder Ilie Nastase, US Open-74 champion Jimmy Connors, and world marathon record holder Kenyan Henry Rono competed in the company's shoes.

Steve Prefontaine

At the 1976 Olympics, most athletes wore Nike models.

The history of the company's development is not limited only to the manufacture of branded shoes. 1979 was marked by the release of the first samples of sportswear, designed by Knight himself and his wife.

Sales expansion

Since 1975, Nike began to organize the sale of products abroad. The first country in which sneakers began to be sold en masse was Canada. Successful advertising on the sports front, an active policy to capture the market, and the increased popularity of health running contributed greatly to rapid growth sales up to $25 million in 1977

Air insoles

The company's success story would be unthinkable without the appearance of NASA employee Frank Rudy within its walls. He proposed the depreciation technology he had developed. Air cushions filled with compressed gas were built into the back of the sole. His proposal was not immediately accepted, but it turned out to be revolutionary and brought the company worldwide fame and millions in profits.

Frank Rudy

A sneaker model with an air-cushioned sole called the Nike Tailwind began selling in 1979. The company called the new technology AirMax. It is used by the corporation in a popular line of products in the most varied and numerous variations.

Reorganization into a joint stock company

By 1980, Nike had already captured half of the American sports shoe market. The company is ripe to reach a new, higher level of development. Ahead was a struggle for leadership with the main competitors - the world-famous brands Adidas and Reebok.

There was a need for a public offering of shares, which would strengthen the company’s reputation and make the brand even more significant and recognizable. In addition, the organization needed large loans, and banks were more willing to issue them against securities that are quoted on the stock exchange.

Nike reorganizes into an open joint stock company and conducts an IPO. The company had 2,700 employees at that time. The history of Nike was entering a new stage of development.

Advertising strategy

Once in an interview, Phil Knight said that marketing is what all divisions of the corporation basically do. Product design and functionality are only part of the global marketing process. He identified three pillars on which the success of the organization rested:

use of famous athletes in advertising;
product design;
the advertisement itself.

Knight's advertising strategy throughout Nike's history has been based on the use of iconic athletes. The most important milestone was the signing in 1984 of a long-term contract with the best NBA basketball player, Michael Jordan. Having invested millions in advertising with his participation, the Nike corporation managed to make the superstar the face of its shoe empire.

AirJordan sneakers were made for him, functionally suited to his style of play. They became extremely popular in America. The teenagers were ready to give everything for the same sneakers as “his airhead.” At the same time, all Nike products became more popular. The company's annual turnover during its cooperation with the “king of the air” increased 4.5 times to $4 billion.

Nike Air Jordan 1 White

In 1988, Nike launched its classic “Just do it” advertising campaign. In the future, “JustDoIt” will actually become the second name of the brand and will take its place in history as one of the best slogans. The costs of promoting the slogan by 1989 will reach $45 million. Along with Jordan, tennis star Andre Agassi and baseball player Bo Jackson were involved in the collaboration.

Further promotion of the brand

Since 1990, the company began creating a network of its own Nike Town retail stores. The first company store was opened in Portland. Its design soon made the establishment a place of pilgrimage for tourists in the city. Now a network of such stores operates throughout the world.

In 1991, Nike's sales in America reached the level of its main competitor, Reebok. The brand was promoted quite successfully in Europe, where revenue amounted to $1 billion.

Nike positions itself as a global corporation in the world of sports. In the 90s, she continued to expand her product line. NikeGolf, NikePro, Nike+, AirJordan, NikeSkateboarding series, subsidiary brands ColeHaan, Hurley International and Converse appear.

ColeHaan series shoes

Nike in Russia

Nike has been present on the Russian market since 1993. The promotion of the product on Russian soil is carried out by the subsidiary company Nike LLC. In total, there are more than 100 stores throughout the country selling exclusively products of this brand.

Where did the brand name come from?

The original name of the brand comes from the name Nick and is borrowed from ancient Greek mythology. This was the name of the winged goddess of victory.

The official history of the Nike brand states that the name was proposed by the first employee of the company, Jeff Johnson. The founders couldn't agree on a name, so Jeff was called in to help. The name of the product had to be printed on the boxes in the morning. By morning, Johnson had a name for the new brand.

Jeff Johnson

Birth of a logo

The history of the logo is very prosaic. The legendary swoosh (“swoosh” or “flying with a whistle”) was invented and designed by Portland University student and future advertiser Caroline Davidson. Fate brought them together with Knight in an accounting class he taught as a teacher. She worked as a freelancer and Phil asked her to come up with an emblem that he could put on the side of his sneakers. The businessman paid her $35 for the work.

The evolution of the Nike logo

The image resembles the silhouette of the wing of the goddess Nike and has always been associated by the creators with positive thinking, a healthy and energetic lifestyle, a symbol of leadership in the sports industry.

In 1983, already as the head of Nike, Mr. Knight gave Davidson a figurine of a goddess with diamonds, as well as a stake in the corporation.

Nike today and tomorrow

Nowadays, the American corporation Nike Inc. is one of the leaders in the international market of sports shoes, clothing and accessories.

The Nike brand is known to millions of people around the world, and is considered by many to be a global symbol of sports. The company became famous for its unexpected and original innovative proposals.

She was the first to create a social network on the Internet entirely dedicated to basketball. A unique opportunity has been created for fans to design their own sneakers on the company website. You can order your original model from the manufacturer directly on the website.

The AirMax line continues to be improved. Another model that captures the imagination of fans of the brand is HyperAdapt - self-lacing sneakers.

Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 'Sport Royal'

The Nike+ system has been implemented, allowing runners to monitor their runs using a sensor built into the sneakers. It was the fruit of cooperation with the IT industry giant Apple.

Model Nike+

Financial indicators

In recent years, the corporation's financial performance has been constantly growing. The main parameter - revenue - over 5 years grew by 35.9% and amounted to $34.4 billion at the end of the 2017 financial year (as of May 31, 2017).

Sales in Europe, including Russia, as well as the Middle East and Africa, increased by 10% and reached $4.05 billion. With each report, the brand value increases, assessed by experts of various portals. Thus, according to Interbrand, over the past five years it has risen in price by 35.9%.

Management

Bowerman gradually retired in the 70s, selling his shares piecemeal to various employees of the firm. He died in 1999.

Phil Knight ceased to be president of the corporation in 2004, remaining the head of the board of directors. In 2016, he left this post as well.

In June of the same year, the board of directors was headed by Mark Parker, who is both president and CEO of Nike. The success of the organization in the last five years is largely associated with his name.

Mark Parker

The corporation's main office is located in Beaverton, Oregon. Now the complex consists of 7 modern buildings, each of which bears the name of legendary athletes.

Nike's largest headquarters building

Nike Incorporation's mission is to encourage as many people as possible to play sports and to make these activities fun for every athlete. In the field of sports and fitness, the company should be number one in the world.

Fakes. All major manufacturers suffer from this scourge. The more famous you are, the more people prefer your brand of clothing, the more fakes pop up on the market. Everything is natural - demand creates supply. Many of us have at least once in our lives experienced the disappointment and sadness of realizing that brand new, “real” Nike sneakers, by midnight, as in that unforgettable fairy tale, turned into “Naik” with all the ensuing consequences in the form of wasted money, a spoiled mood, or, even worse, a sprained ankle, calluses and developing flat feet (depending on your luck).

Recently, a wave of counterfeit goods, or fakes (from the English “fake” - cunning, deception, fraud, fake) has swept not only the Russian sales market, but has become a serious problem for manufacturers all over the world. Brands of well-known sports companies are especially susceptible to the epidemic of counterfeits. “Nike” is simply a favorite of fake producers. As the creator of specific professional clothing and footwear, Nike applies enhanced requirements and standards during the production process, since sports performance and the health of athletes depend on comfort and compliance with hygiene standards. This especially applies to sports shoes. According to Nike anti-counterfeit spokesman Richard Stanwix 98% (!) their shoes sold on the Internet are fake. Of course, manufacturers, as well as distributors of the original product, are struggling with this. We, buyers, can also help them in this difficult matter by buying real goods, not fakes.

In light of this, we would like to consider the main signs by which you can distinguish original Nike sneakers from fakes and give you some useful tips.

Three types of fakes:

In the first case, probably the most harmless, customers are invited to buy products from companies from their official factories, which were rejected, or for some other reason, did not end up in official stores companies.

Second option- a copy of this or that thing. If with ordinary everyday clothing this option can still be somehow implemented at the proper quality level, due to the fact that many products do not require special technological equipment, then with sports equipment everything is much more complicated. For its production it is necessary to use only high-quality materials and fabrics. They must meet all the requirements placed on them, be it density, wear resistance, strength, ability to pass air and moisture, etc. In addition, production is impossible without high-quality technological equipment that will ensure the implementation of all developments.

Third option- an ordinary fake, handcrafted in haste using low-quality materials.

How to distinguish a fake from the original?

In fact, everything is quite simple, follow simple instructions and pay attention to the little things. For illustration, photos of Nike Air Max Skyline SI sneakers (original), Nike Air Max 90 (fake) and photos of the same but original model will be used.

First of all, it is recommended to buy professional sports equipment in specialized stores that supply from official manufacturers. If there are no official suppliers of clothing of the desired brand in your city, you can try to find an online store selling the goods you are interested in. You should refrain from shopping in stock clothing stores, as there is a very high chance of buying counterfeit goods.

If possible, please visit before making a purchase. products webpage to see what a particular model actually looks like.

It is recommended that you refrain from making purchases from online stores that do not have an exact physical address. Serious online stores, as a rule, have offices in the real world.

Be sure to be aware that real Nike Zoom BB III or Nike Zoom LeBron VI sneakers cannot cost 50-70 dollars, even with a super discount, dedicated to the day in memory of Mother Teresa. Quality and brand cost money.

Pay attention to the stitching places - the seams should be even, made of the same type, quality and color of thread.

On real products, the leather is always soft, evenly colored, without wrinkles or unevenness.

Glued seams in sneakers should not have any smudges or frozen drops of glue.

Sneakers must be packed in a branded box. If the seller told you that there is no box for the sneakers, it was lost, delayed at customs, or it was stolen by aliens, you should think about the advisability of making a purchase in this store.

You shouldn’t go looking for “real Nike from America” with your dogs. All Nike production has long been moved to countries where labor is cheaper than in the States. However, quality control has not been canceled.

One more detail that Nike is very meticulous about should not be missed. This is a label sewn onto inside sneaker tongue. On branded shoes, it is stitched very neatly, and it displays information about the size, country of origin and Nike patents. Counterfeit manufacturers often consider the label an unnecessary luxury.

Another one distinguishing characteristic- this is the sole. Nike branded sneaker sole — matte, as it consists of a complex composite material. Manufacturers of fakes save on the sole and use material with a high percentage of rubber. The more rubber in the sole, the more shiny it is.

The next point is the AIR system. Most fakes have no air cushion at all. There is a certain visual similarity, similar to cameras with compressed air, but in reality these turn out to be voids that are pressed through when walking, killing both the sole and the foot. You should definitely refrain from buying basketball shoes on E-bay. E-bay is a graveyard of counterfeits. Registering an account there is a matter of two minutes, and in principle they do not check the reliability of sellers there. Rescue of drowning people at a private auction is the work of the drowning people themselves.

And now let's look at everything clearly:

1. Workmanship

Original Nike Air Max Skyline SI:

An even seam, neatly sewn labels, the absence of “burrs” and glue stains, and especially dried drops - this is the minimum that sneakers must meet.

Fake Nike Air Max 90 (black-varsity red-metallic silver):

2. Quality of materials

Next, we look at the materials, the sole should not be too shiny, “plastic” and slippery; if there is a layer of foam, then it should be foam, and not a piece of plastic or rubber. The smell like you're in a chemical plant should also make you immediately stop buying such products.

Original Nike Air Max 90 (black-varsity red-metallic silver):

Fake Nike Air Max 90 (black-varcity red-metallic silver):

If you put a fake and an original side by side, the differences are immediately obvious. The fake copies the color scheme of the model and its shape, but the materials used are completely different, both in the main part and in the insert at the lacing point, as well as in the upper and inner parts of the sneaker.

3. Box

The presence of a box is also a prerequisite, because... You can often judge the originality of a product by looking at the box. Its absence is enough reason to doubt.
This is what a box for Nike branded shoes looks like:

4. Compliance with technology

The next difference between fake sneakers and the most difficult to check is the absence of compressed air chambers in the sole of the sneaker. The same famous Air system used in Nike sneakers. Other companies use similar technologies, but the names are different. The difficulty is that to check you need to cut the air chambers. In original sneakers, they will burst with a characteristic pop, because... there the air is under pressure. Thus, the counterfeits are technologically completely different from the originals. Which, of course, negatively affects not only the quality of the shoes, but also your health.

5. “Made in China”

Also, don’t look for sneakers made in the USA, Germany, England, etc. , because most of the factories are concentrated in Asian countries, which is due to the low cost of production per unit of product, and quality control in all factories of a particular brand is the same. If your Nike sneakers say “Made in China”, there is no reason to worry: all the original sneakers produced by this company throughout its history bear the same inscription.

6. Dimensions

A seller offering a full range of sizes for rare models is a sure sign that they are trying to sell you a fake.

7. Verified places

The main rule to avoid counterfeiting is to buy sneakers only in trusted places, especially for online stores, where there is often no opportunity to touch the product with your hands. Do not chase a low price; in most cases, the result of such a purchase will disappoint you too quickly. The price level for certain models can always be tracked on the Internet on the websites of official manufacturers, along with the colors of the models that were produced at one time or another.

A specialist just needs to look at the label sewn to the tongue to definitely answer the question of whether it is a fake or not. But this is often very difficult for an ordinary buyer to do. Therefore, the main weapon is information. Do not fall for the bait of unscrupulous sellers! Enjoy the shopping!

Nike's history is one of success. The famous sports company grew out of a student’s simple desire to own high-quality shoes. Such stories inspire people to heroic deeds and clearly illustrate that the most important thing in life is desire. Read, get inspired and take action.

Background

Nike's history begins in 1960. It was at this time that Phil Knight realized that he did not have enough money for quality boots. Phil was a runner, so he trained a lot, more than one hour a day. All training took place in sneakers, and because of this they wore out quickly. Locally produced sports shoes were inexpensive, $5. But the sneakers had to be replaced every month, and a small amount multiplied by 12 months turned into a fortune for the poor student. Of course there was an alternative. Expensive Adidas sneakers. But where did young guy Could it take $30 to buy sneakers? All these circumstances put into Phil Knight’s head the idea that it would be nice to create his own business. The guy had little ambitions; he didn’t want to open a production facility. His goal was to help athletes in his area be able to buy quality shoes at a low price. Phil shared the thought with his coach Bill Bourman. Bill supported the intentions of the resourceful student and the men decided to found their own company.

Base

The story of Nike's creation begins with Phil's trip to Japan. The young man signs a contract with Onitsuka. An interesting fact is that at the time of signing the contract, Phil and Bill were not registered as the owners of any company. The guys settled all the legal problems by returning to their homeland. A student and his teacher rented a van and began selling sneakers from it. Their trade went briskly. Local athletes appreciated the quality of the shoes and reasonable price. Within a year, Phil and Bill managed to earn fabulous money for both of them - $8,000.

History of the name

The company, founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bourman, was named Blue Ribbon Sports. Agree, the name is not the simplest and not the most memorable. Nike's history is inextricably linked to the team's third man. It was Jeff Johnson. The man was an education manager. It was to him that Phil turned. Jeff decided that the name Blue Ribbon Sports was not suitable for a sports business. You need to come up with something short, but at the same time symbolic. In 1964, the company was renamed Nike. The history of the company corresponds to a great name. Few people today know that Nike is the English spelling of the world-famous goddess Nike. The winged statue was worshiped by warriors, as it was believed that it helped to win victories over the enemy.

History of the logo

Today, the famous “swoosh” is inextricably linked with Nike. But it was not always so. Although we must admit, the simplicity and conciseness of the logo allowed it to survive minor changes. The history of the Nike company is associated with it today, so why is it the one that adorns all sports products? In fact, the sign is a swoosh. This is what the wings of the famous goddess of victory were called. The Swoosh was invented by student Carolyn Davidson. Phil and his team didn't have the money to hire professional designer. So the logo, which cost the company $30, suited everyone quite well. Initially, the swoosh was not located separately from the inscription, but was its background. The title itself was written in italics. Studying history Nike logo, many may be surprised that the creators cared little about its redesign. The founders always believed that the face of the company was not their logo, but the quality of their products.

The appearance of the slogan

Like any other large company, Nike has its own slogan. How did he appear? There are two main versions of the origin of the famous "Just Do It". According to the first version, the source of inspiration was Gary Gilmore's phrase “Let's do it.” Why did Gary become so famous? The criminal killed and robbed two people, but the fact of his execution brought him worldwide fame. He became the first person to be “honored” become a victim of a death sentence handed down by the court. They say that Gary Gilmore was not afraid of death and even hurried his killers.

The second version of the creation of the logo is considered to be the words of Dan Weiden, who, at a meeting with company representatives, admired the empire he had built and said “You Nike guys, you just do it.”

Today it is difficult to verify the accuracy of one or another theory, but we can definitely say that the slogan of sporting goods in itself already motivates people to perform sporting feats.

Disconnection with supplier

Sometimes you may be surprised how many envious people there are in the world. Nike also suffered a sad fate. Onitsuka company, which for a long time was Phil's suppliers, gave him an ultimatum. He had to sell the successfully developing company or Onitsuka would stop supplying its products to America. Phil refused to sell his brainchild. Now the company is faced with the question of what to do next? Of course, it would be possible to find another supplier of products, but it is not a fact that the same story would not repeat itself soon. Therefore, the Nike team makes a bold decision: to open its own production.

Extension

After all the transformations, the company's business went uphill. The Nike story continues not from a van, but from a real store. In 1971, the company earned its first million dollars. But the founders of Nike understood that in order to stay afloat and maintain their reputation, they needed to make their shoes special. Bill suggested that instead of flat soles, shoes should be produced with a grooved surface. Everyone liked this idea, and the company began to produce new models. It must be said that in 1973 the company already had its own shoe production plant, so there were no problems with the production of innovative shoes. The breakthrough in technology made Nike famous not only throughout the country, but also in nearby countries.

First advertisement

The history of the creation of Nike is inextricably linked with the development of sports. The company has found a very effective way to advertise its products. Nike marketer Jeff invited his colleagues to promote their products with the help of athletes.

For every major sporting event, the company released a new collection of shoes. Moreover, the updates concerned not only the design. Each new batch represented a unique breakthrough in technology. The company gave this new product to athletes, hoping that they would wear the shoes to competitions. In most cases, the company's expectations were met. The recognizable “daw” flashed on the athletes’ feet, and fans flocked to Nike stores. Every self-respecting fan considered it his duty to wear the same shoes that his idol wears. Even people far from sports often could not resist purchasing a bright pair of shoes that flashed on the feet of numerous residents of almost every American state.

Depreciation

Nike's history is inextricably linked with the numerous technical breakthroughs that took place in their factories. After all, only a manufacturer who constantly invents something new can take pride of place among the world's best brands. So in 1979 it was decided to update the shoes. New models began to have a shock-absorbing cushion. Surprisingly, all shoes used to be made without it. What is the advantage of such an innovation?

The foot is less strained due to the fact that it does not hit the asphalt, but a special cushion-backing built into the sole. This technology, called Nike air, was invented by Frank Rudy. This person was not a Nike employee. The inventor of the famous sole offered to buy his idea to many sports brands, but only Nike agreed to try the innovation.

Cooperation with athletes

Nike's success story wouldn't be as great if they didn't use athletes in their advertising. Famous people helped to promote the products very quickly. In 1984 Nike company signed a contract with Michael Jordan. It was at this time that the company’s shoe range expanded, and the sports brand began producing sneakers for basketball players. How can you tell the world about such a step? Sign a contract with a star. Interest in the company was fueled by the fact that the major basketball league banned athletes from wearing brightly colored shoes. Despite the ban, Michael Jordan still showed up at games wearing brightly colored Nike sneakers. For daring disobedience, the athlete paid a fine of $1,000 after each game. One can imagine how much the company paid that he did not dare to violate the terms of the contract and agreed to pay fines.

Competition

The history of Nike would not be complete without talking about competition. The main competitor has always been, and remains, Adidas. Puma is also considered a rival. To stay afloat, each of these firms was always trying to get each other's clients. The simplest move is to acquire people using the company's ideology. In this, Nike has always stood out, since a powerful slogan helps the company still motivate not only athletes to achieve sporting achievements.

The crisis situation at Nike occurred when Adidas bought Reebok. Moreover, competitors were constantly spreading rumors that Phil Knight’s company was using cheap Asian power. Clients were especially frightened by the idea that the corporation was using the labor of children, whom it did not even pay for their work. Despite all these rumors, in 2007 Nike merged with Umbro and became a leader in the sports goods market. Umbro produced the best quality sports equipment and until recently there was no competition from Nike. In merging companies, the directors did not intend to absorb potential rivals or continue their expansion from an already strong base. The goal was this - to help the client save time and purchase all the necessary goods in one store.

Success

In 1978, the company was doing well. Nike's success story stems from the fact that manufacturers were not afraid to act boldly. Managers carefully studied the weaknesses of competitors and saw that, for example, Adidas specialized exclusively in shoes for athletes. Nike, in turn, launched a line of children's sneakers. It was perfect solution, which helped the company become a market leader, since they had no competition. The company soon offered high-quality and cheap shoes not only to children, but also to women. Once again the move was successful. Nike is famous for not being afraid to make bold decisions and look to the future with hope.

Nike today

After reading the history of Nike, you can’t help but admire the courage of two people who occupied an almost empty niche and created a global empire. Phil Knight did the impossible. From a simple shoe dealer he became general director the world's largest corporation. What is especially surprising about this man is that he did not pursue profit. His main goal has always been to make this world a better place and help athletes purchase quality running shoes at an affordable price.

Today you can buy not only sports shoes at the Nike store. You can completely purchase all the equipment from clothes and bags to thermal underwear and hats. Today the company is no longer headed by Phil. He retired in 2004. Mark Parker is today the leader and moral inspirer of the world's largest brand.

Advertising today

Nike is not only the world's largest sportswear and footwear company. The company sponsors athletes, organizes sporting events and produces stunning commercials, each of which is an inspiring little masterpiece. The main characters of advertising are people who have gone through a difficult path to success and were able to take a place on the leadership pedestal. The company's goal is to inspire everyone to play sports, because it is people who have good health and a fighter's spirit who build the future of the whole world.

Brand: Nike

Tagline:- Just do it (English) Just Do It)

Industry: Production of sporting goods

Products: Clothes, shoes, accessories

Owner company :Nike, Inc.

Year of foundation: 1964

Headquarters: USA

Performance indicators

Nike Inc financials

		Gross profit	Net profit	Asset value	Equity	Number of employees
					Total shareholders equity





2017	34,350	15,312	4,240	23,259	12,407	74,4
2018	36,397	15,956	1,933	22,536	9,812	73,1

Nike brand value according to company estimates

Interbrand, $ billion

Millward Brown Optimor, $ billion

Brand Finance, $ billion

Since 1993, Delta-Sport has been the exclusive distributor of Nike on the Russian market, but since 2004 Nike decided to abandon its services and conquer the market on its own. In Russia, the company is represented by Nike LLC, which supplies Nike products for sale through retail chains of partner companies (the largest of them is Sportmaster).

history of the company

The company was originally founded in 1965 by student Phil Knight, a middle-distance runner for the University of Oregon, and his coach Bill Bowerman. Then it was called Blue Ribbon Sports and specialized in ordering sneakers in Asian countries and then selling them on the American market. Having invested $500 in the business, they purchase 300 pairs of sneakers from the famous Japanese company Onitsuka Tiger. The company's first self-developed product was a sneaker based on a waffle-shaped sole design that Bowerman had learned from a waffle iron.

Bill Bowerman (William Jay Bowerman)

Phil Knight

IN In 1966 the company opened its first retail store. In 1971, the Nike trademark first appeared - football boots were released under this name. In 1978, Blue Ribbon Sports was officially renamed Nike, Inc.

The name comes from the ancient Greek spirit of victory Nicky, not from the English word that would read “nike”. Ignorance of this fact led to the widespread spread in the Russian-speaking environment of the incorrect transcription of “Nike”, which was even used in the name of the company’s official representative in Russia.

On October 23, 2007, the company bought the Umbro brand, a manufacturer of sportswear and footwear, for $580 million.

$44 million is what Nike reportedly paid the Indian cricket team in 2009 under a five-year sponsorship contract. Nike puts 13,000 models of shoes and clothing on sale every quarter.

In 2010 Nike signed an 8-year sponsorship contract with Maria Sharapova for $70 million.

Brand history

The history of Nike is inextricably linked with the name of Phil Knight. The author of the Nike myth is Phil Knight. He was a mediocre middle-distance runner at the University of Oregon, and over the years, with a net worth of more than $3.8 billion, he became the sixth richest American. Metamorphosis Explained is a business he started with his athletic trainer Bill Bowerman in 1964.

American-made sports shoes then cost only 5 USD, but their quality left much to be desired. Many athletes returned from the tracks with bloody calluses on their feet. German shoes were of much higher quality, but they cost six times more - 30 USD.

Knight-Bowerman's idea was simple: high-quality shoes could be designed in the USA, manufactured in Asia and sold in America for more low prices than the popular West German sneakers. While earning an MBA from Stanford in the 1960s, Knight took classes in Frank Shallenberger's class. The task at the next seminar was a business development strategy for a small private company, including a marketing plan. According to Nike legend, it was at this marketing seminar that Knight came up with the concept for the company.

Japan was chosen as the Asian manufacturer because labor there was much cheaper than in America. In 1963, Knight traveled to Japan. In the Land of the Rising Sun, he entered into an agreement with the Onitsuka factory to sell high-quality Japanese Tigers sneakers in the United States. Returning to America, the 26-year-old businessman began selling Japanese shoes out of the back of his truck near the treadmills. Their project, the progenitor of Nike, was called Blue Ribbon Sports. The company's name was born during negotiations with the Japanese, where Knight represented himself on behalf of a defunct American sneaker distributor, Blue Ribbon Sports, interested in selling Japanese shoes in the United States.

By 1964, Knight had sold $8,000 worth of sneakers and sent an order for a new batch. Bowerman and Knight worked as a team, but they soon hired sales manager Jeff Johnson.

In 1965, Bowerman and Knight changed the name of their company, naming it after the Greek goddess of victory Nike. The new name of the company - Nike, according to legend, was invented by Jeff Johnson, who saw the winged goddess of victory Nike in a dream.

In 1971, Portland University design student Caroline Davidson designed a logo for an unknown company for a modest fee of $35. Twelve years later, in 1983, Phil Knight invited her to a restaurant and presented her with a gold ring, in addition to the emblem invented by Caroline, decorated with a diamond, and also added to his gift an envelope with a certain amount of company shares. This was a fair reward for the sign, the mere presence of which on sports shoes increases their consumer appeal several times. This logo, familiar to everyone today and symbolizing the wing of the goddess, was called SWOOSH, which can very roughly be translated into Russian as “flying with a whistle.”

Fitness revolution and jogging fashion of the early 70s. stimulated rapid business development. By 1969, Knight had already sold $1 million worth of sneakers. But the company's net income was small.

In 1975, Bill Bowerman came up with an idea that would become a turning point in the history of Nike. At breakfast, looking at his wife's waffle iron, he decided that if he made the sole of his sneakers grooved, this would, on the one hand, improve the push, and on the other, reduce the weight of the shoe. Soon he fitted the “waffle” sole to sports slippers and invited track and field athletes to try it out. This ingenious invention instantly made Nike an industry leader with a market share of 50% (1979). And after Adidas was left behind in 1980, Nike had only one competitor left - Reebok. Until Michael Jordan came along.

In 1988, a campaign featuring baseball star Bo Jackson debuted. Three videos showed Jackson running, biking and playing basketball. The videos ended with the phrase: “Bo knows.” The next clip played on the coincidence of the names of Bo Jackson and Bo Diddley, a famous musician. The headline of the message was that "Bo doesn't know Diddley."

However, the company did not have to enjoy the laurels of the winner for long. In 1998, Nike's popularity was falling, as it simply became unfashionable to wear what thousands of people around them were wearing. But this was not a surprise for Nike, which was fully armed. In 1998, Knight introduced a new line of products - ACG - "all-weather accessories." In addition, Nike restructured part of its business into separate groups: Nike Golf, Jordan Brand, Nike Hockey, Nike ACG, etc. appeared.

In 1999, Nike copes with troubles. The Internet is being successfully mastered. The company acquires a considerable number of web addresses.

In January 2000, a 30-second video appeared on television featuring track and field sprinter Marion Jones running through the streets to escape a maniac with a chainsaw. The video ends abruptly, sending viewers to whatever.nike.com for the rest of the story. On the electronic page, visitors were given a unique opportunity to watch a television clip in Apple QuickTime and come up with its ending themselves. The best options were broadcast there, on the Internet.

In May 2018, Nation News reported that Nike had developed a conveyor belt that pulls the foot into the shoe.

As noted in Nike's patent application, a small motorized conveyor belt is built into the insole or sole of the shoe. As soon as a person places the forefoot into the shoe, it automatically starts and pulls the foot into the shoe.

The source of energy for the shoe conveyor was a battery that can be charged not only from the mains, but also while running in these shoes due to the piezoelectric effect.

At the moment, Nike has not officially announced plans to create such sneakers, so far only a patent application is known.

In December 2017, a sports hijab went on sale - an element of clothing produced by Nike has no analogues.

Jeff Johnson, who was tasked with coming up with a name for the new company within 24 hours, dreamed of the ancient Greek goddess Nike. This is how the name Nike was born.

Knight's first investment in his company was $500. And Phil’s first counter was the trunk of his car.

Knight himself accidentally came up with the slogan for his company. He hung up the phone after listening to a version he didn't like and said "Just do it!"

Bill Bowerman put a rubber strip into a waffle iron to make fun of his wife. The waffle sole became the company's first independent product, and to this day it is considered the most optimal option for sports shoes.

Michael Jordan's sneakers, which collaborated with the company, were black and red, but such colors were banned in the NBA. He was fined one thousand dollars for each game in them, but Jordan continued to play in Nike shoes. The scandal with the basketball player's sneakers was good for the company.

In 2008, the Russian Central Election Commission agreed with Nike on the main logo of the presidential company Russian Federation, which was very similar to the legendary “tick”.

The name comes from the name of the Greek goddess of victory, Nike, and not from the English word, which would read "nike". Ignorance of this fact led to the widespread spread in the Russian-speaking environment of the incorrect transcription of “Nike”, which was even used in the name of the company’s official representative in Russia.

Nike has been criticized for contracting with factories in countries such as China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Mexico. The activist group Vietnam Labor Watch has documented that factories with which Nike worked were violating Vietnam's minimum wage and overtime laws as early as late 1996, although Nike says it has abandoned such practices.

When Phil Knight co-founded Nike, Inc. in 1965, he had no idea that his company would soon become a leader in a new business area. At the time, Knight was 27 years old and working as an auditor for the accounting firm Cooper and Lybrand in Portland, Oregon.

After work and on weekends, loading his station wagon with Japanese-made sneakers, he drove to the stadium where local runners were training and sold the sneakers directly from the car. Even now he never ceases to be amazed at what happened.

Then, in 1965, Knight's partner, 54-year-old Bill Bowerman, the track coach at the University of Oregon in Eugene, also had no idea what his future would be like. Bowerman got hold of $500 and paid half of Knight's expenses for the sneakers he was selling, and he sat in the kitchen in the evenings, conjuring over imported sneakers: adjusting a stitch here a little, thickening the insole a little there - all in order to squeeze out a few more seconds for future ones. Olympians

Jeff Johnson was no more prescient: he also could not foresee that the country would soon be overwhelmed by a craze for physical culture. In 1965, 23-year-old Johnson, a former anthropology graduate student, became Nike's first employee while still working full time in the social services department in Los Angeles. After working in his apartment, partially converted into a temporary store, he sold Knight's Japanese sneakers.

I believed in Knight,” he says. “I knew I could sell his sneakers, and I knew exactly how to do it.”

The combination of these individual talents - Knight's commercial intuition, Bowerman's dedication to the development of the sport and Johnson's trading vocation - given the growing national interest in physical culture- led to the creation of a thriving commercial company.

When Nike went public in 1980, the country learned that "those sneaker salesmen from Oregon" had built a company that produced 30 million pairs of shoes a year and had annual sales of $270 million with net income of about $13 million. dollars. This was all the more amazing since back in 1972 sales did not exceed 3 million.

With such rapid development, it is always difficult to explain how this happens. In the case of Nike, this unexpected success of several people caught up in the general flow can be considered another example of how important it is to be in in the right place V right time. This explanation would probably work for almost any such case. However, this time success did not come without a solid contribution to the cause by the participants in this story themselves.

Nike is, first and foremost, a company created by athletes and for athletes. That's why she's determined to win. Bowerman, for example, taught the art of winning all his life, and even now, at seventy years old, he still continues to work as a coach. When Phil Knight competed in middle-distance races for the University of Oregon, Bowerman used to yell at him, “Go, go!” Knight raced for victory and eventually managed to run one mile (1.6 km) in 4 minutes 13 seconds. And Johnson was a good guy. At the height of his athletic career, he once ran a mile in 4 minutes 14 seconds.

All three of them were used to winning and thinking about future victories, and it is not surprising that, after opening their own business, they maintained this mindset. The desire to win was elevated to the company's motto and became something of a tribal ritual, enthusiastically performed by crowds of Nike employees during the so-called “Annual Beer Relays,” when teams from different departments compete against each other.

Phil Knight, who at 43 still has plenty of good shape, to quickly run the 800-meter leg of the 1981 Beer Relay, traces the origins of Nike to the late 50s, when he competed as part of the Bowerman track and field team.

Bowerman was an absolute running fanatic,” Knight recalls. - He was ready to do anything to help you win. And even then he noticed sports shoes. By today's standards they were very rude. They were leather and terribly heavy. If you ran in them today, you would feel like you were running in regular shoes.

In 1960, Knight entered graduate school in business administration at Stanford University in California. In his second year of graduate school, he took a course on managing small trading firms. Each graduate student had to write a paper about promising directions in business.

Everyone was writing about computers and electronics, he says, but the only topic I really knew well was running.

Knight's research convinced him that athletic shoes could have a huge market. At that time, the only companies producing sneakers even slightly similar to modern ones were West German companies. Several Japanese companies began to develop new sneaker models, and their development proceeded at a rapid pace. Knight came to the conclusion that the Japanese could become the main suppliers in the sports shoe market.

In the fall of 1962, Knight celebrated the end of graduate school with a trip around the world. One of the first stops on his way was Japan.

“I didn’t go there to do business at all,” he says, “but I was thinking about my research and decided to check how things were going.

Knight walked around department stores, eyeing various sneaker designs. He chose Tiger sneakers; they seemed to him the most beautiful and functional.

The next day, Knight went to the Onitsuka shoe factory in Kobe, paid the Onitsuka representative $50 for a small batch of samples, and then continued his trip around the world.

In December 1963, this batch of samples was finally delivered. Knight immediately took the sneakers to Bowerman to hear his opinion. The coach was inspired by Knight’s idea, and the two of them jointly organized a company selling sports shoes. Bowerman and Knight each contributed $500 towards the purchase. new party samples.

In the first year, the company sold 1,300 pairs of sneakers and generated $8,000 in revenue. Knight had the right to be proud of his success; it was not easy for him. He spent a lot of time talking on the phone with coaches of local schools and asked for 20 minutes before the start of practice to tell the team about the new model of sneakers.

After several runners tried out the new shoes in competition and found them to be much better than their previous sluggish ones, business picked up. Indeed, running became increasingly popular in Oregon, largely thanks to Bowerman's efforts.

Bowerman, in collaboration with the local newspaper, announced a series of open Saturday races that began at the university track and went around the entire city.

At first, about 25 people came,” he says, “but each time more and more people came... The runners faced all sorts of problems, and I tried to help them by adjusting their sneakers.

Bowerman started by adding extra padding to the runner's heel and ended up developing a completely new insole design, which is still a staple of running shoes today.

The company was the first to apply this innovation; it was used in one of the most popular models of the Tiger Cortez brand, released in 1966. This sneaker model was the first to reflect the company's interest in technical innovation, and this became increasingly noticeable in subsequent years. Bowerman co-authored a book about jogging with local doctor Waldo Harris, based on his experience running open jogging races. It turned out to be one of the main guides to the sport, which, according to some estimates, is currently enjoyed by 25 million people in America.

It never occurred to me that jogging would become so popular,” Bowerman says. - In any case, in those days I did not think about markets or wealth. I just made good sneakers. I left all the work to Phil Knight, and believe me, he is a genius!

Jeff Johnson is now Nike's vice president in charge of its Exeter, New Hampshire research and development facility. Johnson and Knight knew each other briefly when they were both students at Stanford, but then did not see each other again until the spring of 1964. Johnson studied anthropology in graduate school at UCLA. One day he decided to take a break and went to an athletics competition. When they ended, he was surprised to see Knight crossing the stadium field.

“I ran up to him,” Johnson says, “and asked what he was doing here, and he started telling me something about selling Japanese sneakers. Then he asked me if I would like to sell them too? I said I'll think about it.

Johnson didn't have to think long. In 1964, he worked for several months at an Adidas store in Los Angeles and saw in practice how great the demand was for modern sports shoes.

Johnson got his start by mailing sneakers to buyers who responded to his ads in Stayere Log, which he calls “the insider's running magazine,” or by selling the sneakers from his home. At first, he converted part of his apartment into a store, but as word of Tiger sneakers grew, more and more runners began to come to him.

By 1966 it had gone beyond all limits, he recalls. - So I rented a small room next to the hairdresser.

In this premises, Johnson opened the first store of the new company, and the results were immediate. By 1976, the company had earned $100,000 and was selling ten to twelve thousand pairs of sneakers a year.

That spring, Knight became convinced that his graduate work had come to the right conclusion: athletic shoes had a large market that continued to grow. Knight again went to Japan and entered into an agreement for the right to sell Tiger brand sneakers throughout North America. At the same time, he ordered a large shipment and asked Onitsuka to ship the sneakers to New York, confirming his intention to sell them on the East Coast of the United States.

That summer, Johnson opened the company's first East Coast store in a small house in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and began sending out sneakers.

By 1969, five years into the Knight-Bowerman partnership, sales had reached $300,000 a year. Knight quit his day job and devoted himself full-time to running a thriving business. The company now employed 20 employees, had its own office, its own warehouse in Beaverton, Oregon, and two stores, one in the western and the other in the eastern part of the country. Moreover, the company managed to attract the attention of a number of independent retailers, and Tiger sneakers began to appear in sports and shoe stores and department stores throughout the country.

And suddenly in 1972, after only three years, the company was on the verge of collapse. The success of the company could not help but attract the attention of the Onitsuka company in Japan. Onitsuka established five of its sales bases in the United States, thereby undermining the monopoly of Knight's company and threatening to deprive it of 90 percent of its 3 million turnover.

The break between Knight's company and Onitsuka came at the most inopportune moment. Bowerman had just been named head coach of the U.S. Olympic track and field team, and the trials in Eugene were just months away. The company risked missing a unique chance in life - to sell its sneakers to Olympic athletes.

One day, Johnson recalls, Knight came to me and said that our current difficulties could bring us great opportunities. He said that we should just start producing our own sneakers under a new name.

Knight urgently went to Japan and entered into an agreement with the Nisso-Iwai Corporation, the sixth largest corporation in Japan, which agreed to find shoe manufacturers in the Far East and pledged to provide financial and import-export services to Knight's company. Knight retained the right to sell and new shoes. He handed over the drawings of his new sneaker model to the Nisso-Iwai company. Each shoe was stamped on both sides with the brand name that can be seen on 35 percent of all athletic shoes sold in the United States today. This, according to Knight, is the largest market share owned by any company in this area of commerce. This stamp symbolizes speed and resembles lightning.

Three months later, Johnson, still on the East Coast, received a call from the company's headquarters in Oregon.

The Japanese are already making packaging boxes for sneakers,” said an excited voice, choking, “but we don’t yet have the name of the new brand.” We should have it by morning. Any ideas?

Johnson spent a sleepless night, and by the morning he wrote down in his notebook: “Nike” - “Nikes” (this is how the name of the Greek goddess of victory Nike is pronounced in English). In 1978, the name of the new sneaker model was adopted as the new company name.

The first batch of Nikes was urgently delivered by plane from the Far East just in time for the start of the pre-Olympic races. Knight persuaded several runners to run in the new shoes. In the marathon race, of the first seven runners who took first place, four ran in Nikes. By convincing marathon runners to wear Nikes, Knight once and for all defined the company’s advertising strategy: “persuade with your feet.”

I understood, says Knight, that a famous athlete wearing Nike sneakers persuades buyers better than any words.

Unfortunately, convincing athletes to wear Nikes turned out to be much easier than selling sneakers to stores. The company was so successful in convincing them at one time of the merits of the Tiger brand that they did not want to switch to a new product. That year, 1972, was the only year when the company suffered a loss. In 1973, the company broke the trade barrier by opening four of its own sports stores in the main cities of the country, and soon the number increased to twelve. However, some kind of decisive step was required, a completely new type of sneaker, something that could amaze the merchants and capture their attention. Once again, Bowerman’s innovative spirit came to the rescue.

The idea came to him on a quiet Sunday morning in 1972. Bowerman ate with appetite the fresh waffles he had just prepared in the waffle iron. And suddenly he thought that with the help of spikes forming the surface of the waffle iron, he could get a completely new type of sole in sneakers!

“I grabbed the waffle iron and ran into the garage,” Bowerman recalls, “and put a piece of urethane rubber in it. But I forgot to put a protective gasket on, so the waffle iron was completely ruined. But I got a good print.

At first, Bowerman put the “waffle” sole only on the sneakers of individual runners, at their request, but in 1975 the company decided to launch these “waffles” into mass production. Sneakers with waffle soles were extremely popular among runners. For several years, Nike reigned supreme in the market because competitors saw it as a cheap gimmick.

The waffle sole, says Johnson, has given us a reputation in the growing running shoe market.

And along with the reputation came tremendous trading success.

In 1969, the tiny company's turnover was only 300 thousand dollars. By 1980, it suddenly jumped to 300 million! After the introduction of the waffle sole, the Nike company began to gradually expand its range, starting to produce sports shoes for basketball, tennis, racquetball, football, baseball, softball and rugby.

Many new models were developed and manufactured at the company's four factories in New Hampshire and Maine. The company first settled in New England in 1974, seeking to reduce its dependence on foreign manufacturers. The shoe industry in these parts had long since seen its heyday, but skilled workers could still be found here and factories already equipped for mass production shoes

Although the New England factories produce only seven percent of the company's output, the industrial complex located in brick building on a quiet street in Exeter, New Hampshire, the future of the company largely depends. The company's research center is located at the factory itself and in a small building adjacent to it. But instead of Bowerman's waffle iron, there is now a bank of computer displays that deftly manipulate new sneaker designs to achieve the best possible shape, and in addition to traditional treadmill testing, there is a biomechanical laboratory equipped with presses, high-speed film cameras and other scientific equipment. In 1979, the Exeter factory achieved huge success with the release of a new product: tailwind sneakers with an elastic, spongy insole encapsulated with air bubbles.

According to Johnson, achievements such as the release of the tailwind prove that the company has not yet exhausted its capabilities, despite its annual sales exceeding $650 million in 1982. Johnson talks about Nike's plans to enter Europe, with its first factory outside the United States opening in Ireland in September 1981. He talks about the release of new products for hiking and walking boots with “air” soles, and about the sharply increased production of sportswear.

Some people look at our progress and think we'll go under, he says, but no, damn it, we've only just started the second half.

The same sentiment was expressed graphically in the prospectus announcing Nike's first public stock sale in December 1980. After all the required numbers, names, descriptions and legal disclaimers in such cases, the company completed the prospectus with a drawing on the last page. The drawing depicted the silhouette of a runner against the backdrop of an evening lake and the clear caption “We have no limit!” So Nike took stock of the past and set its sights on the future. As Johnson says, “Winning is a state of mind.”

Heading: Small kitchen