Who created NIKE?

Company type disclosed

Slogan Just Do It

Founded in 1972

Headquartered in Washington County, Oregon

Important figures Phil Knight, Chairman and one of the founders

William D. Perez, CEO

Bill Bowerman, one of the founders

Industrial Sporting Goods

Number of employees 24,667 (2004)

Products sneakers, sportswear, sporting goods, fashion accessories

Revenue $13,739 million ( 2005)

Website/

Nike (Nike) NYSE: NKE is a sporting goods manufacturer that mainly produces sports shoes, sportswear, and sporting goods, and sells them under its own brand. Including Nike, Air Jordan, Nike Golf, Team Starter, etc., as well as its wholly-owned brands Bauer, Cole Haan, Converse, and Hurley International, etc.

Nike provides jersey kits to many football clubs and national football teams around the world, including Brazil, Portugal, Manchester United, Inter Milan, etc.

Nike's mailing address is in Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of Portland, and the company's headquarters is located in Washington County. Nike's name comes from Nike, the goddess of victory in Greek mythology.

History

In 1962, Phil Knight wrote a thesis at Stanford University, estimating that cheap sports shoes made in Japan could compete with high-priced sports shoes made in Germany. After earning his MBA, Knight traveled to Japan to meet with executives at manufacturer Onitsuka Tiger and try to convince them to let Knight-owned Blue Ribbon Sports become Tiger's West Coast agent.

In 1964, Knight sent a sample of Tiger footwear to Bill Bowerman, the legendary track coach at the University of Oregon. Knight participated in middle-distance running as an undergraduate. Bowerman suggested establishing a partnership with Knight, and Bowerman provided endorsement clout and sneaker design ideas. The two shook hands and each contributed $500 to start a new company.

In 1965, Jeff Johnson, Knight's former rival on the track and field, joined the company and became the company's first salesperson. He sells sneakers to college students from the back of his minivan.

In 1966, Johnson opened the company's first retail store in Santa Monica, California. Knight and Bowerman turned their handshake agreement into a formal contract.

In 1967, Knight and Bowerman opened Blue Ribbon Sports Company, registered as BRS, Inc.

In 1969, annual sales were close to US$300,000, and Knight resigned as a professor at Portland State University. Position, Fully Dedicated to BRS, Inc.

In 1970, Bowerman experimented with rubber spikes, pouring the liquid rubber mixture into his wife's waffle maker, and then created the 'waffle' sole.

In 1971, the relationship between BRS and Onitsuka Tiger turned sour, causing Knight to start creating a new brand of sports shoes.

Knight hired Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland State University, to design the new branding and place it on the side of the shoe. She was paid $35 and worked at Nike for several years until Nike needed the services of an advertising agency. Twelve years later, in 1983, Davidson received a gold ring set with diamonds and the Swoosh logo, a certificate, and an undisclosed number of Nike shares at a lunch in recognition of her contribution to Nike in designing the Swoosh logo. .

In addition to a new logo in 1971, BRS also needed a new name for its new product. More than a dozen suggestions, including Knight's favorite 'Dimension Six', were rejected until Jeff Johnson thought of Nike. , the name of the Greek goddess of victory.

In 1972, the first Nike product, marked with Swoosh, was sent to Eugene, Oregon, for use by athletes participating in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

In 1973, American record holder Steve Prefontaine became the first major track athlete to wear Nike running shoes, and many of his teammates switched to Nike shoes until his death on May 30, 1975

The Waffle Trainer was launched in 1974 and soon became the best-selling training shoe in the United States.

In 1977, Nike introduced the slogan 'There is no finish line' in print advertising, which was very popular and a poster version was launched in response to customer demand.

In 1978, tennis player "Bad Boy" McGenlay signed a contract with Nike.

In 1979, Nike's air-cushioned Air technology was patented by inventor M. Frank Rudy and was first used in Tailwind running shoes. Inflatable membranes were put into the soles of running shoes to provide cushioning protection. .

On December 2, 1980, Nike completed its initial public offering and issued 2,377,00 Class B common shares.

On December 31, 1981, BRS merged with Nike, and the company was named Nike.

In 1982, Dan Wieden and Dave Kennedy opened their own advertising agency and brought Nike to the new company on April 1. In October, Nike aired its first national television ad during the live broadcast of the New York City Marathon.

In 1982, the Air Force 1 basketball shoe became Nike's first basketball shoe for the court to use air cushioning.

In 1984, Nike signed a contract with basketball player Michael Jordan. Air Jordan, the first generation basketball shoe launched for Michael Jordan, was originally banned by the NBA and attracted widespread public attention. The introduction of the Air Jordan basketball shoe series is one of Nike's key success factors. In the same year, Nike also signed Bakrie and John Stoughton.

In 1986, the total annual profit exceeded US$1 billion for the first time.

In 1987, Nike Air Max sneakers were launched for the first time, using larger air cushions and designed for the first time to be visible on the middle side of the sole. This became the first generation of Air Max brand technology, followed by many more generations of products. The first-generation Air Max TV commercial used the Beatles' song "Revolution", which was the first and only time that a Beatles song was used in a TV commercial.

In 1988, Nike first launched the slogan 'Just Do It'.

In 1989, Nike launched a sneaker designed specifically for training (cross-training) and had a series of commemorative advertisements called 'Bo Knows', featuring two-sport athlete Bo Jackson. Be the protagonist.

In 1990, the world's first Niketown store opened in downtown Portland and won multiple retail design and business awards. In the next 10 years, Nike opened 14 Niketown stores in the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.

In 1990, Nike opened its world headquarters in Washington County, west of Portland, covering an area of ??74 acres (0.3 square kilometers).

In 1993, Nike introduced an innovative sustainability program, Reuse-A-Shoe, which collects athletic shoes, separates and grinds them up into Nike Grind. which is used in the making of athletic courts, tracks and fields.

In 1993, Bakri appeared in a controversial Nike TV commercial, claiming 'I am not a role model.'

In 1994, Nike signed a long-term contract with the Brazilian national football team. contract.

In 1995, Nike launched a television and print advertising program called 'If you let me play', pointing out the many benefits of encouraging young women to participate in sports.

In 1996, Nike signed a contract with golfer Woods, who used Nike Golf products. At that time, Woods had just turned from amateur to professional golfer.

Nike's advertising at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 caused controversy. The slogan at the time, 'You Don't Win Silver — You Lose Gold.' (You didn't win the silver medal, you just lost the gold medal) attracted controversy. There was fierce criticism from many, including former Olympic silver and bronze medalists.

For a short period in 1998, Nike changed its slogan from "Just Do It" to "I Can" after strong focus group testing.

In 1998, Phil Knight formally committed Nike to strict standards for manufacturing facilities used by Nike, including: minimum age; air quality; mandatory education programs; expansion of microloan program; factory monitoring; and enhanced transparency of Nike's corporate social responsibility practices.