From Academic Course Idea to Global Brand: The Evolution of Nike’s Success Story
From Academic Course Idea to Global Brand: The Evolution of Nike’s Success Story
Blog Article
Nike shoes are a recognizable brand to all of us. We have seen them in ads or on the feet of our favorite players. Our minds still picture the Nike shoe ad featuring Michael Jordan. Were we aware that an academic course led to the company’s concept? Surprised? The company’s idea was indeed inspired by Phil Knight’s academic work. Furthermore, the business is now worth a billion dollars. Let’s take a closer look at Nike’s history and how it become so prevalent worldwide.
Beginning Story
Nike’s origin story is a fascinating one. After completing his studies at the University of Oregon, Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, enrolled in Stanford Graduate of Business. In a project paper he produced while he was a student there, he claimed that it would be profitable to import shoes from Japan and resell them in America. The success of Japanese cameras in the American market at the time was one of his points of contention. Later on, he began working on the idea, which he had devised for a class assignment.
Knight went to Japan as part of his planned globe tour after graduating. He contracted with the Japanese shoe company Onitsuka Tiger to import shoes, but it took him over a year to receive the samples he ordered! He promptly forwarded the twelve pairs of shoe prototypes he had initially received to his coach, Bill Bowerman. In addition to purchasing the shoes, the person who was astonished by their excellence also promptly acquired a 49% stake in his company.
At last, Knight and Bowerman founded Blue Ribbon Sports on January 25, 1964. Blue Ribbon Sports was first sold out of Knight’s vehicle’s trunk. He sold his wares while driving around the Pacific Northwest. Conversely, Bowerman was always trying out new concepts. He conducted extensive research to determine the types of designs that would affect athletes’ performance. Blue Ribbon Sports was first established for business in Santa Monica, California, in 1966.
How the name “Nike” came about
Blue Ribbon Sports started its journey to become Nike at the beginning of 1971. It had a lengthy past. Due to several issues, including delayed deliveries, agreements with other businesses, and failure to provide shoes per Bowerman’s designs, they stopped doing business with the Japanese Onitsuka Tiger brand. Knight desired to begin anew. Because Blue Ribbon Sports was merely a Japanese shoe importer. As a result, it was given the name “Nike” based on the concept of Jess Johnson, the company’s first employee.
Greek mythology describes “Nike” as the goddess of victory. Her triumphs in athletics, industry, and combat have made her famous. Nike chose this goddess as the moniker for their brand since it aligned with their mission. Carolyn Davidson, a Portland State University undergraduate studying graphic design, created the company’s well-known logo. The company’s new name and vision align with this slightly wavy logo. With the creation of the Waffle Trainer, Nike’s quest got underway.
Nike’s First Shoe
A Bowerman waffle iron created Nike’s first shoe, known as the “Moon Shoe.” This shoe has an interesting backstory. When Bill Bowerman was eating breakfast, he had an idea for the waffle sole design. He pondered if the grooves would provide additional grip when playing sports. The shoe’s performance-driven and gripping design made it an almost immediate success when it finally hit the market. Sotheby’s sold the shoe for almost $450,000.
The ‘Aztec’ design was the prime driver of their success. However, because Adidas had a sneaker with a similar name, they had to modify the name. As the Nike Cortez, the shoe later gained popularity. The Cortez’s debut at the Mexico Games led to its enormous success. Nike’s success as a sneaker giant can be attributed to Cortez’s cutting-edge design and technology. However, the Cortez shoe has quite a backstory. Knight and Bowerman chose to launch their own version under the Nike name after Onitsuka Co. designed the original. When Onitsuka learned that Nike was selling the Cortez model, the issue became more serious and ultimately ended up in court. After a court settlement, the judge decided that both companies could market their own versions of the Cortez under their own names.
Jordan Era
Every day, Nike’s popularity grew. Michael Jordan, then a 21-year-old basketball player, inked a contract with the company in 1984. Jordan began his career as a member of the Chicago Bulls. Fans worldwide were immediately captivated by his abilities, charm, and style of play. After noticing his popularity, Nike offered to work with him. In collaboration with Nike, Michael Jordan introduced his own brand, Air Jordan. In essence, this shoe line revolutionized the sports footwear market.
The Air Jordan, created by Peter Moore, won over fans’ hearts with its striking hues, tall silhouette, the basketball logo, and Nike’s recognizable wings. Basketball fans throughout the world responded to Michael Jordan’s performance in the Air Jordan, which was created using state-of-the-art technology. Globally, Air Jordan has evolved from a shoe to a fashion statement. There are now 35 different Air Jordan shoe variants available from Nike.
How Nike achieved its peak of success
Knight and Bowerman’s unwavering efforts and commitment are the driving force behind the nation’s and the world’s popularity. Let’s find out how they achieved their greatest level of achievement.
Just Do It
“Just Do It” is a popular tagline for Nike. Because of this outstanding tagline, Nike’s brand worth has grown. The slogan’s origin tale is fascinating, just like all of Nike’s trip stories. In marketing, slogans have gained a lot of traction since 1987. FedEx and other fast food chains were among the corporations that adopted slogans. At the time, the challenge of coming up with a catchy tagline for Nike fell to Dan Wieden, co-founder of Wieden Kennedy Advertising Agency. It was someone entirely else who gave Danny the idea for this tagline. He heard the final words of a murderer who was about to be put to death. Before he died, the murderer said, “Let’s do it.” Nike’s tagline was Just Do It, with a little modification of Let’s Do It. The straightforward but effective slogan “Just Do It” had a significant impact when it was first used in a 1988 television ad. The audience found resonance in this brief three-word tagline. People also developed an interest in self-improvement and fitness. Beyond only shoes, this tagline served as a lifestyle statement, a fashion statement, and an encouragement to never give up on your aspirations.
Nike doesn’t just sell products, it tells stories
Nike makes sure that each of its products tells a story. Stories of the athletes who wear the company’s products are told through branding and promotions. Nike considers consumer demands when designing their products. Professional athletes and regular people are frequently included in Nike’s ads, which helps the public relate to the stories they tell. LeBron James or an unidentified high school runner are just two examples of how Nike communicates their story. Nike connects deeply with their audience through emotion. Themes like overcoming adversity, personal development, and the human spirit are consistently the emphasis of their advertisements. This explains why consumers are so devoted to and trust the brand.
Marketing
Nike has been successful in large part because of its marketing. By promoting Nike with athletes, Knight and Bowerman established credibility for the brand right away. Nike was able to lead and be a part of pop culture through partnerships with well-known athletes like Serena Williams, Robertinho, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan. This trend is still going strong today.
Lastly,
Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, had aspirations of becoming an athlete. But because his dream did not materialize, he desired to do something that would allow him to experience the satisfaction of realizing his unrealized dream. The world’s largest provider of athletic footwear was founded by a recent graduate. Over 46 billion US dollars were made by the corporation in its most recent fiscal year, 2022.
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