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A little bit about
the
SWOOSH
The SWOOSH logo is a graphic
design created by Carolyn Davidson in 1971. It represents the
wing of the Greek Goddess NIKE.
Carolyn Davidson was a student
at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight
while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing
some freelance work for his company.
Phil Knight asked Carolyn to
design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She
handed him the SWOOSH, he handed her $35.00.
In spring of 1972, the first
shoe with the NIKE SWOOSH was introduced.....the rest
is history!
(from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996)
(Mysteriously gone from the fax information, 6/2/98)
A little bit about
NIKE:
The Greek Goddess of Victory
NIKE, pronounced NI-KEY, is the
winged goddess of victory according to Greek mythology. She sat
at the side of Zeus, the ruler of the Olympic pantheon, in Olympus.
A mystical presence, symbolizing victorious encounters, NIKE
presided over history's earliest battlefields.
A Greek would say, "When
we go to battle and win, we say it is NIKE."
Synonymous with honored conquest,
NIKE is the twentieth century footwear that lifts the world's
greatest athletes to new levels of mastery and achievement. The
NIKE 'swoosh' embodies the spirit of the winged goddess who inspired
the most courageous and chivalrous warriors at the dawn of civilization.
(from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996)
Company History:
Nike
Timeline & Launch dates of products
The 50's
1957: Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman meet
1959: Knight earns a Bachelor of Business Administration
from the University of Oregon in Eugene
------Knight begins active duty in the U.S. Army Transportation
Corps; he stays in for a year
The 60's
1960: Knight attends Stanford Business School after active
duty with the U.S. Army Transportaion Corps
------Knight was part of the U.S. Army Reserves until
1967
------Bowerman continues tinkering with new designs for athletic
shoes
1962: Knight finishes his market research paper at Stanford
------Knight receives a Master of Business Administration from
Stanford University
------Knight travels to Japan
------Knight makes up a company named "Blue Ribbon Sports"
(BRS)
1963: 200 shoes from Onitsuka (Asic) Tiger arrive in December
------Knight is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) at Coopers
& Lybrand; he is there for a year
1964: Knight and Bowerman each contribute $500
to start BRS
------Knight is a CPA at Price Waterhouse & Co.; he
is there until 1967
------Knight distributes Tiger shoes at local and regional track
meets in his spare time
------Bowerman continues to work at designing footwear
------Grassroots promotions are born as runners don BRS shoes
- many just prototypes designed by Bowerman
------BRS sells 1,300 pairs of Tiger running shoes; revenues=$8000
1965: Jeff Johnson becomes BRS' first full time
employee; revenues=$20,000
------Jeff Johnson once ran track against Phil; he switched over
from selling adidas football shoes
1966: BRS' first retail outlet is formed in Santa Monica,
Ca. where Johnson rents space next to a beauty parlor
------Before the outlet is made, the majority of Tiger shoes
are being sold from the cars of a handful of employees
1967: Bowerman initiates the development of the Marathon
running shoe which has a lightweight, nylon upper
-----A sales office is opened in Wellesley, Mass. behind
a mortuary, to handle East Coast distribution
-----Knight becomes an Assistant Professor of Business
Administration at Portland State University
1968: The Cortez running shoe is made in Japan
to Bowerman's specifications; it is one of Tiger's best sellers
------Johnson and Bowerman create the Boston running shoe
which has a full-length cushioned midsole
1969:Knight devotes himself full time to BRS after resigning
from hist postion as Assistant Professor
------Knight becomes Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
Officer of BRS and later Nike, Inc.
------BRS employs 20, has several retail outlets and revenues
approach $300,000
The 70's
1971: Swoosh Design trademark is created by Carolyn
Davidson for a fee of $35.00
------A trading company called Nisso Iwai allows BRS to
subcontract its own shoe line
------Johnson dreams up the company's new brand name, NIKE,
the Greek Goddess of victory
------A soccer/football shoe is the first NIKE model to
hit the retail market
------A Nike T-shirt to promote the shoe becomes the first apparel
item
1972: BRS launches the Nike brand at the U.S. Olympic
Trials
------Buisness relations break between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger
------The Moon Shoe debuts with the Waffle outsole
------Test pilot for the Waffle outsole is Dan Fouts from
the University or Oregon football team
------Canada becomes BRS' first foreign market
------Employees=45, revenue=$1.96 million
1973: Steve Prefontaine becomes the first major
track athlete to wear Nikes
------Pre helps to convert several people to the young brand
including Olympian Jon Anderson, who
wins the Boston Marathon and Ilie Nastase who is ranked the top
tennis professional in the world
------The "Futures" booking program is introduced
------revenue=$3.2 million
1974: The Waffle Trainer is introduced quickly
becoming America's best-selling shoe
------BRS opens its first American manufacturing facility at
Exeter, New hampshire
------Australia becomes another foreign market
------Employees=250, revenue=$4.8 million
1975: The Elite is created and becomes one of Nike's
best-fitting and best-selling racing and training spiked shoe
------A rapidly growing line of athletic shoes are designed and
built to Nike specifications
------Pre dies before his time
1976: The Olympic Trials are held in Eugene, OR
and Nike shoes are seen in abundance
------Promotional activities look promising in the future as
many young, rising running stars are wearing Nikes
------revenue=$14.1 million
1977: BRS starts Athletics West
------Manufacturing factories are set up in Taiwan and
Korea
------Nike shoes are sold in Asia for the first time
------revenue=$28.7 million
1978: BRS changes its corporate name to NIKE, Inc
------2nd American manufacturing plant is opened in Saco,
Maine
------Nike's first children's shoes, Wally Waffle, Burt Bruin
and Robbie Road Racer are introduced
------Nike shoes are sold in South America and distribution
outlets are set up in Europe
------revenues=$71 million
1979: Nike introduces the Tailwind, the first running
shoe with the patented AIR-SOLE cushioning system
------The NIKE Apparel line begins
------Nike is the No. 1 running shoe with nearly 50 percent of
the U.S. market revenues
------World Headquarters are opened at 3900 S.W. Murray
Blvd. in Beaverton, Oregon
------Nike-shod runners hold every distance track record from
800 to 10,000 meters
------revenues=$149 million
The 80's
1980: Nike goes public with 2 million shares of common
stock
------The NIKE Sport Research and Development Lab opens in Exeter,
N.H.
------An East Coast footwear sales and distribution center begins
operations in Greenland, N.H.
------Negotiations start with the P.R. of China for production
of Nike shoes there
------Phillies pitcher Steve Carlton brings Nike baseball shoes
to the forefront
------NIKE shoes become the number-one seller in Canada
------employees=2,700, revenues top $269 million
1981: Nike International Ltd. is formed to service
a growing foreign market that reaches into more than 40
countries
------Alberto Salazar runs a world record in the New York Marathon
wearing Nikes
------NIKE-Japan is formed when Nike and Nissho Iwai combine
forces
------NIKE-England becomes the company's first wholly owned foreign
distributorship
------regional EKIN representatives are appointed throughout
the U.S.
------NIKE shoes are manufactured in 11 countries
------employees=3,000, revenue=$457.7 million
1982: NIKE-AIR basketball and tennis shoes are
introduced, the Air Force I and the Air Ace
------the NIKE line includes over 200 shoes
------England's Aston Villa soccer team wins the English &
European Cup championships in Nike's new soccer shoe
------the NIKE Apperal line grows to nearly 200 styles and $70
million
------employees=3,600, revenue=$693.6 million
1983: The Cities Campaign is part of the pre-Olympic
advertising and merchandising campaign for Los Angeles
------The Destiny is the first high tech running shoe
for children
------Alberto Salazar becomes NIKE's first apparel endorsee
------Joan Benoit shatters the women's world marathon record
wearing Nikes
------The inaugural World Track and Field Championships are held
in Helsinki, Finland; 23 Nike athletes capture medals
------employees=4,300, revenue=$867.2 million
1984: 58 NIKE-supported athletes from around the
globe take home 65 medals at the Olympics
------NIKE purchases land in Beaverton as the future site of
NIKE's corporate headquarters
------International sales take off, reaching $158 million
------employees=4,100, revenue=$919.8 million
1985:AIR JORDAN court shoes are introduced along with
apparel
------John McEnroe goes on a promotional "Tour Through
America"
------A New Products division is formed
------the Sock Racer is introduced and becomes the forerunner
of Dynamic-Fit technology
------employees=4,200
1986: Nike charges into the sport of golf
------2nd generation AIR JORDAN's are introduced
------A high-quality line of tennis wear under the Wimbledon
trademark is introduced
------revenues=$1.07 billion
1987: The Revolution ad campaign causes controversy
------Nike-Air shoes re-establish Nike as teh technological leader
in the industry
------The Air Max shoes allow consumers to see the NIKE-AIR
cushioning
------The Air Pegasus, a NIKE classic in its 4th generation,
sells its 5,000,000th pair
------the Air Cross Trainer High helps the Cross-Training
revolution get started
------Nike products are introduced in the U.S.S.R.
------revenue=$877 million
1988: The Footbridge stability device is introduced
------The Just Do It campaign is introduced
------The Air Stab is the first model to combine the Footbridge
device with Air-Sole cushioning
------The Mars Blackmon character helps sell the 3rd generation
of AIR JORDANs
------Nike acquires Cole-Haan
------revenue=$1,203,440,000
1989: The Just Do It campaign goes into its 2nd
year
------"Bo Knows" commercials featuring Bo Jackson
are tied to the Just Do It theme
------ACG, All Conditions Gear, is introduced
------denim tennis shorts from Andre Agassi are a hit
------Aqua Gear is introduced
------Side 1 is introduced
------i.e. is introduced
------Nike relocates to the new World Campus in Beaverton
------revenue=$1,710,803,000
The 90's
1990: $100 million is spent on advertising which
includes more "Bo Knows" campaigns and new "Family
Reunion" commercials
------The Cross Training Collection moves to the #2 position
behind basketball
------Nike acquires Tetra Plastics to assure exclusive supply
of parts of their Air-Sole units
------Doors open to the NIKE World Campus, which sits on 74
acres and offers 570,000 square feet of work space throughout
seven buildings. Each building is named after a special athlete,
such as the Mike Schmidt building
------180 Air technology is getting fine tuned
------The first NikeTown opens in Portland, Oregon
------employees=5,300, revenue=$2,235,244,000
1991: The Air Huarache running shoe introduces
Huarache Fit technology
------the Air Mowabb shoe is introduced
------NIKE F.I.T. apparel is introduced
------Internatinal revenue tops $860 million
------revenue=$3,003,610,000
1992: Nike and The Athletic Congress make an agreement
that every medalist on the USA track-and-field team will
wear NIKE apparel in the Olympics and other major events
------NIKE TOWN Chicago is opened with 60,000 square feet
of space
------Internatinal revenue tops $1 billion, an increase of 32
percent; it makes up 33 percent of Nike's total revenue
------Agassi wins Wimbledon, defying 50-1 odds along the way
------Lynn Jennings wins an Olympic Gold medal and 3rd consecutive
World CC Championship
------revenue=$3,405,211,000
1993: Charles Barkley stars in another groundbreaking
ad and creates a stir by saying "I am not a role model"
He also battles Godzilla
------the RunWalk shoe is introduced
------the Total Body Conditioning line is introduced
------NIKE TOWN's Orange County and Atlanta open
------NIKE forms N.E.A.T. (NIKE Environmental Action Team)
------NIKE REGRIND is used for sports courts and running
tracks
------Air Max technology is more cushioned, more responsive and
more visible
------revenue=$3,930,984,000
1994: NIKE launches P.L.A.Y., Participate in the
Lives of America's Youth; P.L.A.Y. includes Reuse-a-Shoe, a program
that diverts more than 1 million shoes from landfills to new
court surfaces
------All Conditions Gear becomes its own NIKE division with
the success of outdoor boots, sandals and NIKE F.I.T.
------Air Max shoes introduce dual-pressure cushioning
and stability
------A new Eastern European region based in Vienna is
formed at the $138 million Laakdal Customer Service Center
------Shane Warne, Australia's preeminent cricket superstar,
signs with Nike
------NIKE assumes distribution rights in Japan in Korea
------Nike signs 10 members of Brazil's soccer team along
with Italy's, China's and U.S.'s soccer team.
------In Latin America, Chile and Argentina join the NIKE-owned
family
------Nike purchases Canstar Sports Inc. [renamed Bauer]
------revenue=$3,789,668,000
1995: Pete Sampras repeats at Wimbledon and Cal
Ripken surpasses Lou Gehrig's record
------Michael Jordan and Monica Seles return to the games
they love
------Nike gains new presence on the field of play, signing licensing
agreements with the NFL and Dallas Cowboy's owner Jerry
Jones
------Fiery French striker Eric Cantona challenges racism
in soccer in a series of ads seen only in Europe
------Zoom Air technology ushers in a new era in Nike-Air
cushioning: sleek, low-profile and very fast
------revenue=$4,760,834,000
1996: Nike's Equipment Division forms to produce hockey
skates, in-line skates, protective gear, sport balls, eyewear
and watches
------Mary Pierce wins the Australian Open
------The Atlanta Olympics showcase the world dominance of Nike-supported
athletes and teams
------Major League Soccer's inaugural season has 5 teams supported
by Nike
------Brazil teams with Nike in preparation for World Cup '98
------Tiger Woods wins a record 3rd consecutive U.S. Amateur
title and changes the face of golf
------NikeTown New York opens its doors
------Nike enters the sport ball market
------Nike Eyewear is introduced Oct. 1
------Nike apparel accounts for 31 percent of Nike's total revenue
------revenue=$6,470,625,000
1997: Nike Asia takes off
------Two major Customer Service Centers begin construction outside
Seoul, Korea and Tokyo, Japan.
------China becomes both a source country and a vital market
for Nike
------The expansion of the World Campus continues; plans to house
7,100 of Nike's 16,000 employees
------Tiger Woods wins The Masters becoming Augusta's youngest
champion
------Nike sponsors WNBA and selected athletes in the ABL
------The Nike Air GX and Air Foamposite shoes bring new levels
of comfort to soccer and basketball
------revenue=$9,186,539,000
1998: Coming Soon!
Quotes
Performance
"A tiger hunts best when
he's hungry"
-Bill Bowerman
Products
NIKE AIR
Zoom Air
Mission Statement
"To maximize profits
to shareholders through products and services that enrich people's
lives."
Objectives
Provide an environment which
develops people to maximize their contribution to NIKE.
Identify focused consumer segment opportunities.
Provide quality and innovative services and products internally
and externally.
Establish and nurture relevant emotional ties with consumer segments.
Maximize profits.
(from Nike Consumer Affairs packet, 1996)
Check out more facts on Nike's roots:
Cortez
| Marathon
Before the world had Nike, Phil
Knight had "Blue Ribbon Sports".
Phil Knight earns an MBA at Stanford
and then goes on a nice long world tour. He stops in Japan along
the way. (a place he will travel back too many more times)
He contacts an athletic shoe company there by the name of Onitsuka
Tiger. (sidenote: Now Asic Tiger??)
Knight invents a company name and "Blue Ribbon Sports"
is turned from Knight's dream to his reality. This is 1962 and
ten years later business relations break up between BRS and Onitsuka
Tiger. 1963 sees 200 shoes arrive from Tiger. Sales go well because
1964 sees a jump to 1300 shoes.
BRS's first full time employee is Jeff Johnson, a former competitor
of Knight's. He joins in 1965 and revenues soar to $20 grand!
Profits are at $3240.
The first retail outlet is set up in Santa Monica, California
and Johnson begins to make shoes "Engineered to the exact
specifications of championship athletes."
The Company had such shoes as
the:
-Marathon
Bill Bowerman develops this fine shoe and uses nylon in the upper
to offer a lightweight, durable alternative to other running
shoes at that time. This was 1967, over 10 years before Blue
Ribbon Sports is changed to Nike Inc.
And the:
-Cortez
This shoe was also made to Bowermans specs'. It became one of
Onitsuka Tiger's largest selling models. This shoe was developed
in 1968, the same year Jeff Johnson and Bowerman teamed up to
give us the Boston shoe. This shoe offers something really radical
for that time period in shoe development-a full-length cushoioned
midsole.
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