NIKE Shoes

, Inc. is the world’s leading innovator in athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories.

TO BRING INSPIRATION AND INNOVATION TO EVERY ATHLETE IN THE WORLD*

*IF YOU HAVE A BODY, YOU ARE AN ATHLETE

Before there was the Swoosh, before there was Nike, there were two visionary men who pioneered a revolution in athletic footwear that redefined the industry.

Bill Bowerman was a nationally respected track and field coach at the University of Oregon, who was constantly seeking ways to give his athletes a competitive advantage. Phil Knight was a talented middle-distance runner from Portland, who competed for Bowerman’s track program.

Knight made a cold-call on the Onitsuka Co. in Kobe, Japan, and persuaded the manufacturer of Tiger shoes to make him a distributor of Tiger running shoes in the United States. When the first set of sample nike shoes arrived, Knight sent several pairs to Bowerman, hoping to make a sale. Instead, Bowerman stunned Knight by offering to become his partner. They shook hands to form Blue Ribbon Sports, pledged $500 each and placed their first order of 300 pairs of nike shoes in January 1964. Knight sold the shoes out of the trunk of his car, while Bowerman began ripping apart Tiger shoes to see how he could make them lighter and better. In essence, the foundation for what would become Nike had been established.

Moving away from Nike shoes for men

Around 1971, the relationship between BRS and Onitsuka was falling apart. Knight and Bowerman were ready to make the jump from being a footwear distributor to designing and manufacturing their own brand of athletic shoes. They selected a brand mark today known internationally as the “Swoosh” and the new Nike line of footwear debuted in 1972.

Nike entered the 1980s on a roll, thanks to the successful launch of Nike Air technology in the Tailwind running shoe in 1979. By the mid-1980s, the debut of a new signature shoe for an NBA rookie by the name of Michael Jordan in 1985 was followed in 1987 by the launch of Air Max, the first Nike footwear to feature Nike Air bags that were visible. A year later, Nike built on its momentum by launching a broad yet empowering series of ads with the tagline “Just do it.”

While Nike had designed footwear and apparel for football for a number of years, the mid-1990s signaled a deepening commitment to truly excel in this sport. In 1994, Nike signed several individual players from what would be the World Cup-winning Brazilian National Team. In 1995, Nike signed the entire team, and began designing the team’s distinctive uniform. Over the years Nike signed dozens of national and club teams around the world.

Today, Nike continues to seek new and innovative ways to develop superior athletic products, and creative methods to communicate directly with consumers.