The Nike story is an example of success. The famous sports company grew out of the studentās simple desire 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.
Background
The history of Nike begins in 1960. It was at this time that Phil Knight realizes that he does not have enough money for quality shoes. Phil was engaged in running, so he trained a lot, not one hour a day. All training took place in sneakers, and because of this, they quickly wore out. It cost sports shoes locally made cheaply $ 5. 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 where could a young guy get $ 30 to buy sneakers on them? All these circumstances make Phil Knight think that it would be nice to create your own business. The guyās ambitions were small, he did not want to open production. His goal was to help athletes in his area to be able to buy quality shoes at a low price. Phil shared a thought with his coach Bill Bourman. Bill supported the intentions of the resourceful student and the men decided to establish their own company.
Base
The story of Nike's creation begins with Phil's trip to Japan. The 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 owners of any company. The guys settled all the legal problems when they returned to their homeland. The student and his teacher took off the van and from it began to sell sneakers. Trade with them went briskly. Local athletes appreciated the quality of the shoes and the affordable price. For the 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. The history of Nike is inextricably linked with the third person of the team. They became Jeff Johnson. The man was a education manager. It was to him that Phil addressed. Jeff reasoned that the name Blue Ribbon Sports is not suitable 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 a big name. Few people today know that Nike is the English spelling of the world-famous goddess Nick. The winged statue was worshiped by warriors, as it was believed that it helps to triumph 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 him to survive minor changes. The history of Nike today is associated with it, so why exactly does it adorn all sports products? Actually, a sign is a swoosh. So called the wings of the famous goddess of victory. Soush was invented by student Carolyn Davidson. Phil and his team did not have the money to hire a professional designer. So the logo, which cost the company $ 30, was completely fine with everyone. Initially, the swush was not located separately from the inscription, but was its background. The name itself was written in italics. Studying the history of the Nike logo, many may be surprised that the creators cared little about its processing. 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 large company, Nike has its own slogan. How did he come about? There are two main versions of the origin of the famous āJust Do Itā. According to the first version, Gary Gilmoreās phrase āLet's do itā became a source of inspiration. What is Gary so famous for? The criminal killed and robbed two people, but the fact of his execution brought him world fame. He became the first person who āhad the honorā of becoming a victim of a death sentence imposed by a court. They say that Gary Gilmore was not afraid of death and even rushed his killers.
The second version of creating the logo is considered to be the words of Dan Viden, who at a meeting with company representatives admired the empire and said "You Nike guys, you just do it."
Today it is difficult to verify the fidelity of one or another theory, but it can definitely be said that the slogan of sports goods alone already motivates people to perform sports.
Supplier gap
Sometimes one wonders how many envious people are in the world. The sad fate of Nike was not spared. Onitsuka, which has long been Phil's suppliers, delivered him an ultimatum. He had to sell a successfully developing company or Onitsuka ceases to supply its products to America. Phil refused to sell his brainchild. Now the question arose for the company, what to do next? Of course, it would be possible to find another supplier of products, but not the fact that in the near future the same story would not be repeated. Therefore, the Nike team makes a bold decision: to open its production.
Expansion
After all the transformations, the business of the company went uphill. The history of creating the Nike brand continues not from the van, but from the real store. In 1971, the company earned its first million dollars. But the founders of Nike understood that in order to stay afloat and maintain a reputation, you need to make shoes special. Bill suggested instead of a flat sole of shoes to produce shoes with a grooved surface. Everyone liked this idea, and the company began to release new models. I must say 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 made Nike famous not only throughout the country, but also in neighboring countries.
First ad
The history of Nike is inextricably linked to the development of sports. The company has found a very effective way to advertise its products. Nike marketer - Jeff invited his colleagues to promote products with the help of athletes.
For every major sporting event, the company released a new collection of shoes. Moreover, the updates concerned not only the design. Each new batch represented a kind of breakthrough in technology. The company gave the athletes such a novelty, hoping that they would wear shoes for the competition. In most cases, the company's expectations were met. A recognizable ājackdawā flashed on the feet of the athletes, and fans crowded into the Nike stores. Each self-respecting fan considered it his duty to wear the same shoes that his idol puts on. Even people who are far from sports, often could not resist the acquisition of a bright pair of boots that flickered on the feet of numerous residents of almost every American state.
Depreciation
Nike's history is inextricably linked to the many technical breakthroughs that have been made in their factories. After all, only a manufacturer who invents something new all the time can take pride of place among the 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 the shoes were made without it. What is the advantage of such an innovation?
The leg is less strained due to the fact that it hits not on the asphalt, but on a special pillow-substrate that is 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.
Collaboration with Athletes
Nikeās success story would not be so grand if they hadnāt involved athletes in their ads. Famous people helped to 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? Make a contract with a star. The interest in the company was fueled by the fact that the major basketball league forbade athletes from wearing bright shoes. Despite the ban, Michael Jordan still appeared at games in bright Nike sneakers. For impudent disobedience, the athlete after each game paid a fine of $ 1,000. One 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
Nikeās history would not be complete, if not competition. The main competitor has always remained, and Adidas remains. Puma is also considered a rival. To stay afloat, each of these firms has always tried to get each other's customers. The easiest move is to get people using the ideology of the company. Nike has always stood out in this, as a powerful slogan helps the company still motivate athletes not only athletes.
The Nike crisis came about when Adidas bought Reebok. Moreover, competitors rumored all the time that Phil Knight's company uses cheap Asian power. Customers were especially frightened by the idea that the corporation uses the labor of children, which it does not even pay for work. Despite all these rumors, in 2007 Nike merged with Umbro and became the market leader in sports products. Umbro produced the best sports equipment and until recently, Nike did not compete. Combining the companies, the directors did not aim to absorb potential rivals or continue their expansion on an already solid base. The goal was this - to help the customer save time and purchase all the necessary goods in one store.
Success
In 1978, the company was doing well. Nike's success story stems from the fact that manufacturers were not afraid to act boldly. The executives carefully studied the weaknesses of competitors and saw that, for example, Adidas specializes exclusively in shoes for athletes. Nike, in turn, launched a line of children's sneakers. It was a great solution that helped the company to become a market leader, as they had no competition. The company soon offered high-quality and cheap shoes not only to children, but also to women. And again, the step was successful. Nike is notorious for making bold decisions and looking forward to the future.
Nike today
After reading the story of the emergence 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 dealer, he became the CEO of the world's largest corporation. What is especially 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 to help athletes get quality sneakers at an affordable price.
Today at the Nike store you can buy not only sports shoes. You can fully purchase all the equipment from clothes and bags to thermal underwear and hats. Today the head of the company is no longer Phil. He retired in 2004. Mark Parker is today the leader and moral inspirer of 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 ads, each of which is a small inspiring masterpiece. The main characters of the advertisement are people who have come a long way to success and were able to take a place on the leader's pedestal. The company's goal is to inspire everyone to do sports, because it is people who have good health and the spirit of a fighter who build the future of the whole world.