Nike was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman and was originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1971, Caroline Davidson created the swoosh logo for $35, and the brand was renamed Nike. Throughout the years Nike took great measures to establish a product identity. They began with running shoes, and then on November 17th, 1984 released the first Air Jordan sneakers, infiltrating the basketball market that at the time was dominated by Converse and Adidas. As a side note, it is worth mentioning that Nike now owns the Converse brand, among others. Using sports giants like Michael Jordan to endorse their products gave them the attention and notoriety necessary to grow as a brand. They began to establish themselves in not just the running and basketball market, but football, golf, and even rugby. As Nike continued to grow, so did their logo (see Nike logo progression below.)
Their product identity went from an obscure running show to a dominant sporting good line across all major sports. They were able to claim this brand positioning through not only their celebrity endorsements, but their research and development, along with an ability to execute products that excelled in both performance and fashion. Nike often takes advantage of short-run products, limited-edition sneakers for instance, creating a demand from consumers for the latest model of Lebron’s or those retro AirMax 95 sneakers that are released once a year in a different color. They sponsor charity events throughout the world, and donate to causes that align with their core values, which are based on creativity and innovation. Nike has coined the phrase “Just Do It”, which is now ingrained into popular culture. Their brand is now well known throughout the world, and the Nike swoosh logo is synonymous with quality, culture, and style.
References:
History of Nike: https://news.nike.com/history
(Links to an external site.)Logos taken from: https://logodix.com/first-nike (Links to an external site.)
Nike organizational culture: http://panmore.com/nike-inc-organizational-culture-characteristics-analysis#:~:text=Nike’s%20organizational%20culture%20is%20centered,Talented