It all started with a young man who had just graduated from business school and was looking for a job that merged his two loves of sport and business. He was called Philip Knight and though he was not an engineer he did have great business knowledge and this would be proved in the many years and decades to come.
After graduating Phillip who was a keen runner and sportsman was on one of his regular trips to Japan. Whilst there he realised that the technology used to make many Japanese shoes was way ahead of similar brands from the US and Europe. It was this that prompted him to decide to import these shoes back into the US.
This young graduate made money by selling his new Japanese Sneakers at athletics events. The shoes sold well but he still had to store them in his parents basement. However he still wasnt actually making any sneakers until his old track coach William Bowerman joined the company in 1964. Bowerman was a keen engineer and not just a runner and these skills would revolutionise the sportswear market.
It was William who came up with the name Nike for the company, saying that it had come to him in a dream late one night. It was also Bowerman who designed the companys first shoe. He did this with the slightly unusual method of pouring liquid rubber into the family waffle iron! He was proud of the way the sneakers had been developed, later deciding to call his first pair the Waffle sole.
William was delighted with his new shoes and decided to call them the waffle sole after how they were first made. Despite the unusual name they where a big hit at the 1972 Olympics with many of the top runners remarking how much more comfortable they were to wear than the older resin sneakers. From the 70s Nike became a dominate force at the Olympics sponsoring most of the top athletes.
The famous swoosh logo of Nike was actually developed by a part time design student on placement at the company. She was called Carolyn Davidson and only received around thirty dollars for her work at the time. The symbol has become one of the most recognisable brands in the world and is used on all Nike products.
Nike really started to push the boundaries of what could be done in the 70s with the invention of an air heel which allowed the sneakers to give even more spring. The sole was actually designed by a former airplane designer who wanted to give the shoes the best cushion effect possible. The design is still seen in the Nike Shox of today.
Nike have also proved adept at marketing in recruiting Michael Johnson in the late 80s to help promote the Sneakers. To further the marketing campaign they decided to make a pair of shoes just for him called the Air Jordans. They proved to be a real hit with kids and adults alike both on and off the court. They were also the number one Christmas present for kids in 1988.
There was some contention surrounding the sneakers though as they did not conform to the all rules for shoes in the NBA. They decided to fine Michael $5000 dollars every time he wore them on the court. However most people say this just promoted the brand even more.
It wasnt until the 90s that Nike become really unstoppable and became the No1 sports shoe manufacturer in the world. To celebrate this they introduced the Just do it slogan. And ever since Nike has been doing just that, and hopefully will for a long time to come!
After graduating Phillip who was a keen runner and sportsman was on one of his regular trips to Japan. Whilst there he realised that the technology used to make many Japanese shoes was way ahead of similar brands from the US and Europe. It was this that prompted him to decide to import these shoes back into the US.
This young graduate made money by selling his new Japanese Sneakers at athletics events. The shoes sold well but he still had to store them in his parents basement. However he still wasnt actually making any sneakers until his old track coach William Bowerman joined the company in 1964. Bowerman was a keen engineer and not just a runner and these skills would revolutionise the sportswear market.
It was William who came up with the name Nike for the company, saying that it had come to him in a dream late one night. It was also Bowerman who designed the companys first shoe. He did this with the slightly unusual method of pouring liquid rubber into the family waffle iron! He was proud of the way the sneakers had been developed, later deciding to call his first pair the Waffle sole.
William was delighted with his new shoes and decided to call them the waffle sole after how they were first made. Despite the unusual name they where a big hit at the 1972 Olympics with many of the top runners remarking how much more comfortable they were to wear than the older resin sneakers. From the 70s Nike became a dominate force at the Olympics sponsoring most of the top athletes.
The famous swoosh logo of Nike was actually developed by a part time design student on placement at the company. She was called Carolyn Davidson and only received around thirty dollars for her work at the time. The symbol has become one of the most recognisable brands in the world and is used on all Nike products.
Nike really started to push the boundaries of what could be done in the 70s with the invention of an air heel which allowed the sneakers to give even more spring. The sole was actually designed by a former airplane designer who wanted to give the shoes the best cushion effect possible. The design is still seen in the Nike Shox of today.
Nike have also proved adept at marketing in recruiting Michael Johnson in the late 80s to help promote the Sneakers. To further the marketing campaign they decided to make a pair of shoes just for him called the Air Jordans. They proved to be a real hit with kids and adults alike both on and off the court. They were also the number one Christmas present for kids in 1988.
There was some contention surrounding the sneakers though as they did not conform to the all rules for shoes in the NBA. They decided to fine Michael $5000 dollars every time he wore them on the court. However most people say this just promoted the brand even more.
It wasnt until the 90s that Nike become really unstoppable and became the No1 sports shoe manufacturer in the world. To celebrate this they introduced the Just do it slogan. And ever since Nike has been doing just that, and hopefully will for a long time to come!
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