Nike is a brand that we all know and can easily recognize. The name Nike was derived from a Greek Goddess of victory, expressing ambition and a strong will to win. The company was founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight and was introduced in 1971. Ironically, when the “swoosh” was created by Carolyn Davidson, inspired by the winged goddess, Philip Knight “Okayed” the design because he was rushed to make a decision. He said, “I don’t love it, but it will grow on me.” Little did he know how symbolic this “swoosh” was going to be! The original logo, in 1971, was the “swoosh” with Nike written overtop of the design in a lowercase font. Later on in 1978 they placed the “swoosh” at a different angle to highlight the new All-Cap “NIKE.” After over 25 years of use, the image itself defines NIKE, and it instantly recognizable. From 1995 on, the NIKE name has been removed from the logo.
AuthorMy name is Erin and I am currently a student at Virginia Commonwealth University Archives
November 2015
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