Nike's story is one of success. The famous sports company grew out of the simple desire of a student to have quality shoes. Such stories inspire people to exploits and clearly illustrate that the main thing in life is desire. Read, get inspired and act.
Backstory
Nike's history begins in 1960. It was at this time that Phil Knight realizes that he does not have enough money for quality shoes. Phil was a runner, so he trained a lot, not just one hour a day. All workouts were held in sneakers, and because of this, they quickly wore out. Locally produced sports shoes cost $5 inexpensively. But the sneakers had to be changed every month, and a small amount multiplied by 12 months turned into a fortune for a poor student. Of course there was an alternative. Expensive Adidas sneakers. But how could a young guy get $30 to buy sneakers with them? All these circumstances put into the head of Phil Knight the idea that it would be nice to create your own business. The guy's ambitions were small, he did not want to open production. His goal was to helpathletes in their district to be able to buy high-quality shoes at a low price. Phil shared his thoughts with his trainer Bill Bourman. Bill supported the intentions of the resourceful student and the men decided to start their own company.
Foundation
The history of Nike begins with Phil's trip to Japan. A 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 legal problems by returning to their homeland. The student and his teacher rented a van and started selling sneakers from it. Their trade went briskly. Local athletes appreciated the quality of the shoes and the reasonable price. In a year, Phil and Bill managed to earn fabulous money for both - $ 8,000.
Name history
The company founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bourman was named Blue Ribbon Sports. Agree, the name is not the simplest and not memorable. Nike's history is inextricably linked to the team's third man. It was Jeff Johnson. The man was a manager by education. It was to him that Phil turned. Jeff reasoned that the Blue Ribbon Sports name was not appropriate for the 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 the big name. Few people today know that Nike is the English spelling of the world-famous goddess Nike. The winged statue was worshiped by warriors, sinceit was believed that it helps to win over the enemy.
Logo Story
Today the famous "tick" is inextricably linked with Nike. But it was not always so. Although it must be admitted, the simplicity and conciseness of the logo allowed it to survive minor changes. The history of Nike today is associated with it, so why exactly does it decorate all sports products? In fact, the sign is a swoosh. So called the wings of the famous goddess of victory. Swoosh was invented by student Carolyn Davidson. Phil and his team didn't have the money to hire a professional designer. So the logo, which cost the company $30, was fine with everyone. Initially, the swoosh was not located separately from the inscription, but was its background. The title itself was written in italics. When studying the history of the Nike logo, many may be surprised that the creators cared little about redesigning it. The founders have always believed that the face of the company is not their logo, but the quality of their products.
The appearance of the slogan
Like any other big 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 inspiration was the phrase "Let's do it" by Gary Gilmour. Why is Gary 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" to be the victim of a death sentence handed down by a court. They say thatGary Gilmour was not afraid of death and even hurried his killers.
The second version of the creation of the logo is the words of Dan Wyden, who, at a meeting with representatives of the company, admired the empire built and said “You Nike guys, you just do it.”
Today it is difficult to verify the correctness of one theory or another, but it can definitely be said that the sporting goods slogan itself already motivates people to sports feats.
Gap with supplier
Sometimes you can be surprised how many envious people are in the world. Not bypassed the sad fate and the company Nike. Phil's longtime supplier, Onitsuka, gave him an ultimatum. He had to sell a successful company or Onitsuka will stop shipping its products to America. Phil refused to sell his offspring. Now the company faced the question, 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. That's why the Nike team makes a bold decision: open their own production.
Expansion
After all the transformations, the business of the company went uphill. The history of the creation of the Nike brand continues not from a van, but from a real store. In 1971, the company made its first million dollars. But the founders of Nike understood that in order to stay afloat and maintain the reputation they had won, they needed to make shoes special. Bill suggested instead of a flat sole of shoes to produce shoes with a corrugated 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 factory, so there were no problems with the production of innovative shoes. A breakthrough in technology has glorified Nike 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 their products. Nike marketer - Jeff suggested that his colleagues promote their products with the help of athletes.
For every major sporting event, the company released a new collection of shoes. And the updates were not only about design. Each new batch was a kind of breakthrough in technology. The company gave such a novelty to athletes, hoping that they would wear shoes for competitions. In most cases, the company's expectations were justified. A recognizable "jackdaw" flashed on the legs of the athletes, and the fans went in crowds 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 buying a bright pair of boots that flashed on the feet of numerous residents of almost every American state.
Depreciation
Nike's history is inextricably linked to the many technological breakthroughs that took place in their factories. After all, only a manufacturer who constantly invents something new can take pride of place amongthe best world brands. So in 1979 it was decided to update the shoes. New models began to have a shock-absorbing pillow. Surprisingly, before all shoes were made without it. What is the advantage of this innovation?
The foot is less stressed due to the fact that it does not hit the asph alt, but a special cushion-substrate 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 so great if they didn't use athletes in their ads. Famous people helped promote products very quickly. In 1984, Nike signed a contract with Michael Jordan. It was at this time that the range of shoes of the company expanded, and the sports brand began to produce sneakers for basketball players. And 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 forbade athletes to wear bright shoes. Despite the ban, Michael Jordan still appeared at the games in bright Nike sneakers. For impudent disobedience, the athlete after each game paid a fine of $ 1,000. You can imagine how much Nike paid Jordan that he did not dare to violate the terms of the contract and agreed to pay fines.
Competition
HistoryNike's firm would not be complete, to say nothing of competition. The main competitor has always been, and still is, Adidas. Puma is also considered a rival. To stay afloat, each of these firms has always tried to get each other's clients. The easiest move is to acquire people for yourself with the help of the company's ideology. Nike has always stood out in this, as a powerful slogan helps the company still motivate not only athletes for sports achievements.
The crisis situation in Nike happened when Adidas bought Reebok. Moreover, competitors all the time spread rumors that Phil Knight's company was using cheap Asian power. Customers were especially put off by the idea that the corporation was using the labor of children who were not even paid for their work. Despite all these rumors, in 2007 Nike merged with Umbro and became the leader in the sports goods market. Umbro produced sports equipment of the best quality and, until recently, Nike did not compete. By merging companies, the directors did not aim to absorb potential rivals or continue their expansion on an already solid base. The goal was 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 is due to the fact that manufacturers were not afraid to act boldly. Executives carefully studied the weaknesses of competitors and saw that, for example, Adidas specialized exclusively in shoes for athletes. Nike, in turn, launchedline of children's shoes. It was an excellent decision that helped the company to 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. And again the move was successful. Nike is renowned for being brave and looking to the future with hope.
Nike Today
After reading the history of Nike, one involuntarily admires the courage of two people who occupied an almost empty niche and created a world empire. Phil Knight did the impossible. From a simple shoe merchant, he became the CEO of the world's largest corporation. Particularly surprising in 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 get quality running shoes at an affordable price.
Today you can buy not only sports shoes in the Nike store. You can fully purchase all the equipment from clothes and bags to thermal underwear and hats. Phil no longer heads the company today. He retired from business in 2004. Mark Parker is today the leader and inspiration behind 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 shoots amazing commercials, each one a small, inspiring masterpiece. The main characters of advertising are people who have come a long wayto success and were able to take a place on the leadership podium. The goal of the company is to inspire everyone to play sports, because it is people with good he alth and the spirit of a fighter who are building the future of the whole world.
