A Nike History:
The largest sportswear provider in the world got its start on an tiny college track in Portland, Oregon. It was 1962 and Phil Knight, a former mid-distance runner, had just gotten back from his post-graduation trip to Japan. While abroad Knight had fallen in love…with a sneaker…and made a deal with Japanese shoe manufacture Onitsuka Tiger to import some of their shoes to America on a small scale. Knight needed a company to import the athletic sneakers and so he founded Blue Ribbon Sports, the precursor to Nike. At local track meets Knight would peddle the Onitsuka Tigers. He used his car as his store, his father’s basement as his warehouse. Eventually Knight and his one-man Blue Ribbon Sports show caught the attention of Bill Bowerman, Knight’s old track coach at the University of Portland. Bowerman offered to match Knight’s initial investment of $500 for a partnership in Blue Ribbon. Knight agreed and the two partners got to work, Knight focusing on sales, Bowerman focusing on designing new sneakers. Bowerman had been fiddling around with sneakers for some time, modifying sneakers for his college track team. In the early 1960s, now a full-time track coach / part-time sneaker designer, Bill Bowerman brought his first design to his partner and former pupil Phil Knight. He called it the Cortez.
Blue Ribbon began to grow and in 1965, the grass roots company decided to open a small retail shop in Santa Monica so that their employees wouldn’t have to keep selling shoes out of their cars. Their importing business kept increasing, and by the end of the sixties Blue Ribbon had a handful of stores on both coasts and twenty employees. Far too ambitious for their modest success, Knight and Bowerman decided it was time to really expand.
First, the name had to go. One day, Jeff Johnson, a former track rival of Knight’s and the first salesman for Blue Ribbon, dreamt about Nike, the goddess of victory. Thinking it would make a great name for their company, he brought the mythological name to Knight and Bowerman. They loved it, and Blue Ribbon Sports was renamed the Nike Company. Now that they had a new name, they needed a new logo. Knight asked Carolyn Davidson, a Portland State University graphic design student, and she came back with what would be one of the most iconic brand logos of all time: the Nike swoosh. Knight paid her $35 for design.
Nike spent the 1970s expanding their company and designing their own shoes. They put their sneakers on prominent athletes, opened new factories, and capitalized on the jogging boom of the 1970s (during which time Nike’s revenues tripled in two years to $14 million in 1976 and then doubled in just one year to $28 million in 1977). By 1979 if you were running you were probably in Nikes. Nike sold almost half the running shoes bought in the United States.
As the jogging craze calmed in the 80s, Nike began to roll out basketball sneakers and athletic apparel. In 1982 they released the Air Force 1 and in 1984 Nike signed basketball hopeful Michael Jordan to endorse his own line of Air Force 1s called Air Jordans, the success of which is sneaker legend.
In the late eighties Nike stumbled a bit responding poorly to the aerobic craze and rival Reebok took a big chunk out of their market share. But by the nineties Nike had regained its balance and revenues hit the $2 billion mark. A veritable sneaker and sportswear powerhouse, Nike begun to flex its muscles and acquire other companies such as dress shoe manufacturer Cole Haan and Tetra Plastics Inc.—producers of plastic film for shoe soles—expanding the ever-long reach of their ever-growing empire. By the time Nike turned 20 in 1992, the company had revenues of $3.4 billion and was practically debt-free. The following year “Sporting News” named Phil Knight the most powerful man in sports.
In the late nineties Nike slipped again. Asia’s economy plummeted and took Nike’s sales with it. The teenage market began to eschew athletic shoes and instead began buying hiking boots and casual brown shoes. To make matter even worse for the big brand from Portland people began to boycott Nike over allegations of sweatshop labor, human rights violations, and child labor in their Asian manufacturing plants. In 1998 Nike implemented measures aimed at assuaging this issue. Still, to this day the controversy follows the company.
In the early 21st century, Nike staged an impressive comeback. Sales rebounded and Nike solidified itself as the world’s number one athletic footwear and apparel seller. Nike’s yearly revenue is higher than that of the number two and the number three combined.
————————————
Nike Sneak-Facts:
• In 1995, Nike signed golfer Tiger Woods to a 20-year, $40 million endorsement deal.
• In 1987 Apple Records sued Nike for using the Beatles song, “Revolution” in one of their ads. Nike had paid Capitol Records (who holds the North American licensing rights) $250,000 but Apple disapproved of the deal. The dispute was settled though the terms never made public. Nike pulled the song from the campaign. Later Yoko Ono gave permission to Nike to use John Lennon’s “Instant Karma” in another ad.
• In 2005 Nike was criticized by Ian MacKaye, former front man of seminal punk band Minor Threat for copying the cover of the band’s 1981 self-titled album for an extreme sports ad campaign. Nike publicly apologized and the ads were recalled.
• In 2004 a Nike ad featuring Lebron James beating Chinese martial arts masters was banned in China. Oddly, the ad was reinstated in 2007 for reasons unknown.
• In 2007 Nike canceled the Air Vick V, the fifth in the popular line of sneakers endorsed by football player Michael Vick. At that time Vick had been accused of dog fighting, beating, electrocuting, and hanging dogs.
• The artist Stash produced one of the rarest Dunks ever—only 40 pairs released! Each box is signed and numbered with a design on the box lid.
————————————
Notable Models:
Air Force 1
Though Nike designed the Air Force 1 in 1982, they didn’t reach the market until the following year. Even though the shoe was a complete revolution in basketball footwear, the Air Force 1’s popularity stayed within the circle of those basketball players in the know. It wasn’t until a few years later that the sneaker would find its way into the hip hop community and later into mainstream sneaker culture. The Air Force 1 has air technology in the sole—an innovation that changed basketball sneaker design forever. Nike took the Air Force 1 off the market in late 1984 only to do an exclusive re-release in 1986 at a handful of select stores worldwide. In New York City there was only one store (Jew Man’s in the Bronx) that carried them until 1988. Today the Air Force 1, in all of its colors designs and collaborations, is one of Nike’s top selling sneakers. Nike has released so many version of the Air Force 1 that no collector has them all.
Dunk
The Dunk began in 1985 as the Terminator’s little cousin originally aimed at the college basketball market, coming in select university colorways. The University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, University of Iowa, University of Georgetown, University of Syracuse, University of Maryland, and UNLV were all chosen by Nike to have their own school colored Dunks released. The Dunks became and still are incredibly popular, coming in a variety of looks and limited edition designs. Interestingly, Michael Jordan wore Dunks before it was possible to lace up a pair of Air Jordans.
SB
The Nike SB is the company’s skateboarding line. Nike was late to the extreme sports trend, but nevertheless the Nike SBs have sold very well. The SB features extra padding and support. Some of the most popular SB sneakers are the Nike Dunk SB and Nike Blazer SB. The Nike Dunk SB has become a iconic shoe in recent years with versions recognized as some of the most valuable sneakers on the market today.
Air Max
In 1987 Nike introduced the Air Max, a running shoe with a unique air cushioning unit. The air unit was originally only visible from the side of the midsole, but later models (starting in 1993) had the air visible on the back and sides and in 1995, visible on the forefoot. To promote the Air Max Nike used a Beatle’s song, “Revolution,” in their commercial. It was the first and only time a Beatles song has been used in a TV commercial. The usage of the song resulted in a long and drawn out legal battle for Nike. The Air Max cushioning has been utilized in all sports shoes, including basketball, golf, tennis, track, cross-training, and even sandals.
Cortez
Developed by Bill Bowerman and produced in partnership with Nike’s then partner Onitsuka Tiger, the Cortez was the first athletic shoe made with nylon, not leather—the then running standard.
Waffle
A lighter improved version of the Nike Cortez jogging sneaker, the Waffle was the first production model to feature the Bill Bowerman’s innovative waffle outsole. Like the Cortez, Daybreak, and LD-1000, the Waffle has made a comeback as part of the Nike Vintage Collection.
Court Force
A classic late 80s / early 90s athletic shoe. The original Court Force came in monotone, but these days Nike’s Court Force can be found in all colors and shades.
Vandal
The Nike Vandal basketball shoe came out in the mid-1980s—very close in design to the Air Force 1 at a time when the Air Force 1 was nearly impossible to find. They were one of the first all nylon upper high top basketball sneakers which meant they were not only more breathable than traditional leathers but also a good deal lighter. In 2003 Nike brought the Vandal back boasting new colorways and designs.
Air Jordan
Please see our complete Nike Air Jordan Sneakerpedia section.
Blazer
Along with the Nike Bruin, the Nike Blazer was the first basketball shoe Nike ever released, finding its way to the court in 1972. The Blazer was made in high, mid, and low cuts.
Delta Force
Considered by many to be a true classic 90s basketball shoe, Nike actually first released their Delta Force in 1986/1987.
Terminator
The Terminator (aka “Hoyas”) is a basketball sneaker from the 1980s. They were first produced in 1985 as a team shoe for the Georgetown Hoyas in a navy and grey colorway. They were released to the pros as Nike Legends and then renamed the Terminators for commercial release. The Terminator signature is the large Nike logo branded across the heel. Nike reissued the Terminator in 2003.
Sabaku
The Nike Sabaku is a unique Nike half cab casual sneaker available with laces or as a slip on.
Back To The Future
As seen on the feet of Marty McFly in the film “Back To The Future II” these high top futuristic sneakers only exist on celluloid…for now. Multiple petitions have circulated urging Nike to produce and release the Back To The Future sneakers in the marketplace. To join the cause: http://www.mcfly2015.com/
