How Nike Began

The company has roots dating back to 1964 when Philtime in 1986.
Knight becamepartners with his former track coach BillThe Nike "Just Do It" slogan was introduced in 1988
Bowerman and the twoformed Blue Ribbon Sports.created by Dan
This company was the US distributor fortheWieden
Japanese-made Tiger running shoes.The first Niketown store was opened in 1990 in
In 1971 graphic design artist Carolyn Davidson createddowntown Portland. Thecompany opened its world
the marknow known as the Swoosh. A few weeksheadquarters just west of Portland in
after this Jeff Johnson suggeststhe name "Nike" forWashington County the same year.
the first shoes that will bear the Swoosh mark.In 1994 the company won Advertiser of the Year at
The first line of Nike footwear was introduced in 1972the Cannes Film
and thisincluded the "Moon Shoe" that features aFestival.
waffle sole. These weredistributed to athletes thatThe company signed a long-term partnership with the
competed in the US Olympic Track &Braziliannational football team in 1995. They moved into
Field Trials in Eugene,Oregon.English footballby signing a kit deal with Arsenal.
Ilie Nastase- the Romanian tennis star- became theNike signed Tiger Woods soon after he gave up his
first star tosign an endorsement contract with Blueamateur golf statusin 1996. The same year the
Ribbon Sports to wear itscompany caused controversy with itsadvertising
Nike tennis shoes in 1972.campaign during the Summer Olympics in Atlanta with
The first major track athlete to wear Nike shoes wasitsslogan "You Don't Win Silver- You Lose Gold."
Americanrecord-holder Steve Prefontaine in 1973.After pressure from lobbying groups Nike revealed in
The best-selling training shoe in the US in 1974 was the1998 theirworldwide factory locations. Phil Knight
new Wafflecommitted Nike to strictstandards for the
Trainer.manufacturing facilities of the companies for thefuture.
In 1977 the tag "There is no finish line" was introduced.In 1999 at the age of 88 Bill Bowerman the co-founder
John McEnroe the tennis "bad boy" was signed byof Nike died.
Nike in 1978 toan endorsement contract.The company had annual revenues of in excess of
In October 1982 Nike aired its first national television ad$12.25 billion in 2204.
duringthe New York Marathon.The first shoe to makeThese had risen to $13.74 billion in 2005 which was an
use to the Air technologywas the Air Force Oneincrease of
basketball shoe.12% over the previous fiscal year.
Corporate revenues surpassed $1 billion for the first