In the world of sports-related footwear, perhaps there is no logo as widely recognized as the famous Nike ‘swoosh’, a simple design that symbolizes one of the most successful shoe companies to ever exist. With the help of a basketball legend and a golf whiz kid, Nike has implanted some footstep on the world that are mighty hard to follow –as over the past 25 years, they have stomped on the competition to become the recognized leader in quality footwear.

The Nike story is one of humble beginnings, the partnership of two men, both former track and field stars, with a shared desire to perfect the running shoe. Phil Knight was a U of O track star with an MBA from Stanford, and Bill Bowerman a coach for their track team. While Phil worked on securing the rights to market a Japanese shoe in America, the Onitsuka Tiger, Bill formed Blue Ribbon Sports to market the high-tech, reasonably priced Tiger Shoes. Modifying the shoe to increase traction and reduce the overall weight, the also incorporated a cross-grid sole design inspired from a waffle iron. Calling their 1968 creation the Tiger Cortez, they managed to create the biggest selling athletic shoe of the time. 

Due to their overwhelming success in the shoe market, they decided that it was time to sever ties with Tiger in 1971. Salesman Jeff Johnson suggested they call their new company Nike, in tribute to the Greek Goddess of Victory. A young graphic design student offered to create a logo for them and created the now-iconic “swoosh”. The logo received a lukewarm reception but as Knight said at the time, “It will grow on me.” The pair introduced their new Nike shoes during the 1972 Olympic Games, worn by their newest endorsee, an exciting and quickly emerging 21-year-old track and field phenomenon named Steve Prefontaine, who, at the time, held four consecutive NCAA titles and was a crowd favorite. He would be the first in a line of celebrated endorsees.

Although the public was initially confused by the brand name, wondering who the heck “Mike” was, by the end of the first year in existence, Nike boasted 2 million in sales and soon there would be no more confusion over the Nike name. Fast-forward a little over a decade later and a basketball superhero named Michael Jordon, would propel the brand name to heights never imagined. With a patented design of polyurethane trapped air pockets, the Air Jordan would emerge in 1985 and make Nike a superstar in its own right, quickly succeeding in becoming the number one shoe in America. Many competitors tried to imitate the shoe but the patented technology stopped them in their tracks.

By 1988, however, sales were becoming slower and Nike was losing its traction in the market. It was time for a new slogan and the one that emerged was “Just Do It,”A challenge set forth to be fearless in ones endeavors, to ignore preconceived notions and strive for greatness. The public embraced this simple mantra and Nike’s reputation and sales catapulted back up to the number one position. Within a few years, NikeTown superstores were opening across the country, hawking a complete line of shoes and related sports apparel. And the swoosh would find itself proudly displayed alongside a new friend - young golfing phenomenon, Tiger Woods, who stunned the world with his unmatched abilities.

It was but another successful endorsement deal that would keep Nike in the forefront and continue to assure their place in history as one of the finest makers of athletic footwear the world has ever known, a leader for almost all of their 25 years in existence. Those are some hard footsteps to follow indeed.