The Nike Swoosh: 20 Surprising Facts About The World's Most Popular Sportswear Brand
The Nike Swoosh: 20 Surprising Facts About The World's Most Popular Sportswear Brand
Who Doesn't Love A Good Nike Shoe?
We can almost guarantee you, the reader, owns a piece of Nike clothing at home right now. That's how big this beloved sportswear brand is. With stores planted across the globe and famous athletes repping their logo, Nike is simply unstoppable. But beyond the shoes, jackets, and pants, what do you really know about them? Let's dive into 20 facts about this brilliant company that didn't start out the way you might think.
Ting Him Mak from Hong Kong, China on Wikimedia
1. The Founders
Thanks to Phil Knight and his coach, Bill Bowerman, the two came together to build this brand into what it is today. The company was founded on January 25, 1964, and 61 years later, it’s stronger than ever. Can you even imagine a world without Nike?
2. Started With A Different Name
While this beloved sportswear company is known around the world as Nike today, that’s not what the company started out as. It was once known by a less catchy name, Blue Ribbon Sports, and remained so for 7 years before the founders finally made the switch in 1971 to Nike.
3. A Stroke Of Genius
If anything, how Knight got his inspiration for the company should be a message to all students. While writing a paper at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, his topic on Japanese shoes helped him sow the seeds for what would become one of the greatest sneaker companies in the world.
4. Knight’s Japan Trip Changed His Life
After graduating from Stanford in 1962, Knight decided to go on a celebratory trip to Japan, one that he didn’t know would change his life. Making a stop in the city of Kobe, that was where he came across Tiger brand shoes that were high in quality but incredibly affordable. Manufactured by what we now know as Asics, he called up the big boss and impressively secured distribution rights for brand in the Western United States.
5. The Swoosh
We don’t think it’d be wrong to say that Nike has one of the most recognizable logos of any brand. That iconic swoosh perfectly represents the company’s inspirational motto, and with a symbol that amazing, it just feels expensive. However, you may be shocked to learn that the Nike logo was commissioned by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student, for just $35. Talk about a great turnaround.
6. It Was Almost A Different Story
And before Nike could finally become, well, Nike, one last name suggestion was thrown out. Knight initially considered calling the company Dimension Six, a name we’d argue is a lot less catchy than what it is now.
7. An Employee’s Idea
As it turns out, the name Nike wasn’t even Knight or Bowerman’s idea to begin with. It belonged to their very first employee, Jeff Johnson, who came up with the idea thanks to the goddess of the same name who symbolized victory. Looks like it pays to listen to those working for you.
Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany (Flickr), originally uploaded by Marcus Cyron on Wikimedia
8. A Dark Secret
While the company’s slogan “Just Do It,” is memorable, familiar, and beloved by customers all around the world, it actually has a pretty dark history. The phrase was inspired by death row criminal, Gary Gilmore, who muttered his final words, “Let’s do it,” right before his execution.
9. The First Sponsor
While plenty of A-list athletes today all fight for a chance to be sponsored by Nike, the very first person to be endorsed by the company was Romanian tennis player, Ilie Năstase. While he’ll always be remembered for being Nike’s number one, he also won plenty of tournaments throughout his career, making him an esteemed player on top of that.
10. Fight With The Beatles
In 1987, Nike produced an ad for one of their shoes using “Revolution” by The Beatles as its background tune. They did so against the recording company’s wishes, which led them to pay a hefty fine for licensing rights for up to a year. And as follows, one year later in 1988, they discontinued the problematic ad.
11. It Almost Didn’t Happen
Everyone knows Michael Jordan’s collaboration with the brand was what really helped set things off, but did you know it almost didn’t happen? Supposedly, the day before the meeting was to take place, Jordan had decided to back out. But thanks to his wise mother who convinced him to get on that plane, Nike then made Jordan an offer he couldn’t refuse. The rest is history.
12. A Rough Start
Though the Air Jordan is one of the most recognizable shoes around the world, Michael Jordan himself wasn’t a fan when he first saw the design. Though the red and black colors of the Air Jordan 1 are considered iconic, to Jordan, it was a disappointing combination he didn’t want to put on his feet.
13. Athletes Galore
But since these early days, Nike has grown exponentially, and with it, a massive rise in popularity. They’ve sponsored almost every famous athlete you can think of, from Tiger Woods to LeBron James and Roger Federer. It doesn’t matter what sport you play, you want to be the one wearing Nike.
14. Worldwide Domination
If you feel like you see a Nike store at every mall you visit no matter where you are in the world, you’re not hallucinating, it’s actually there! As of 2024, it’s reported that Nike has over one thousand stores worldwide, marking its complete domination in the sportswear department.
15. Converse Are Considered Nikes?
You may have grown up wearing Converse shoes and remember that it was all the hype during your childhood, but did you know the brand actually went bankrupt in 2001? And guess who bought them out? In 2003, Nike paid millions of dollars to buy the company, making this iconic line of shoes, officially Nike-owned.
16. Playing With Your Food
Nike’s beloved Waffle Trainers, which feature super grippy soles, has a pretty funny backstory. Bowerman was making waffles with his wife when the pattern of the waffle iron suddenly gave him inspiration for the shoe. Sounds like he just had Nike on his mind all the time!
17. Remembering Your Roots
As Knight’s first university that started it all, Nike has continued to maintain its bond with the University of Oregon, even having designed the jerseys for their football team once before. They’ve also donated plenty of money towards renovating Hayward Field, the school’s track-and-field stadium. It's safe to say Knight holds this school in a special place in his heart.
18. Look Out Hollywood
Turns out Nike isn’t just talented in the realm of sports, the company has even won two Emmy awards before! In 2000, the commercial “The Morning After” received much praise, followed by “Move,” which won them the prize again in 2002.
19. It’s Going To Be A No
Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. This has never been more true than when famous athlete Shaquille O’Neal showed up to a Nike meeting decked out completely in Reebok. We can only imagine the encounter didn’t go so well.
Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA on Wikimedia
20. Home Sweet Oregon
While you can find this popular brand across the world, its headquarters remain in the United States, specifically in Beaverton, Oregon. And for a company as big as this, you can only imagine how amazing it must be. It’s an exceptionally large space that features approximately 75 buildings, many of which have been named after popular athletes.
