What Nike produces. Where are Adidas, Nike and other sports brands manufactured
Recently, a wave of counterfeiting, or fake (from the English "fake" - cunning, deception, fraud, forgery) has swept not only the Russian sales market, but has become a serious problem for manufacturers all over the world. Brands of famous sports companies are especially susceptible to the epidemic of counterfeiting. Nike is simply a favorite of fake manufacturers. As the creator of specific professional clothing and footwear, Nike applies increased requirements and standards in the production process, since sports performance and health of athletes depend on comfort and hygiene standards. This is especially true for sports shoes. According to Nike Anti-Counterfeiting Representative Richard Stanwicks 98% (!) their shoes sold on the Internet are fake. Of course, manufacturers, as well as distributors of the original product, struggle with this. We, the buyers, can also help them in this difficult task by buying real goods, not fakes.
In light of this, we would like to take a look at the main features by which you can distinguish an original Nike sneaker from a fake one and give you some useful tips.
Three types of fakes:
In the first case Probably the most innocuous, customers are invited to buy the products of companies from their official factories, which were rejected, or for some other reason, did not get into the official stores of the company.
Second option- a copy of this or that thing. If with ordinary everyday clothes this option can still be at least somehow implemented at the proper quality level, due to the fact that many products do not require special technological equipment, then with sports equipment everything is much more complicated. For its production, it is necessary to use only high quality materials and fabrics. They must meet all the requirements imposed on them, be it density, wear resistance, strength, the ability to pass air and moisture, etc. In addition, production is impossible without high-quality technological equipment, which will ensure the implementation of all developments.
The third option- an ordinary fake, handicraft hastily made using low-quality materials.
How to distinguish a fake from an original?
In fact, everything is quite simple, follow the simple instructions and pay attention to the little things. For illustration will be used a photo of Nike Air Max Skyline SI sneakers (original), Nike Air Max 90 (fake) and a photo of the same, but original model.
- First of all, it is recommended to buy professional sports equipment in specialized stores that supply from official manufacturers. If in your city there are no official suppliers of clothing of the desired brand, you can try to find an online store selling goods you are interested in. It is worth refraining from shopping in stock clothing stores, as there is a very high chance of buying counterfeit.
- If possible, before making a purchase, go to products webpage to see what a particular model actually looks like.
- It is recommended that you refrain from shopping in online stores that do not have an exact physical address. Serious online stores usually have a presence in the real world.
- Be sure to be aware that a real Nike Zoom BB III or Nike Zoom LeBbron VI can't go for $ 50- $ 70, even with the Mother Teresa Memorial Day Super Discount. Quality and brand cost money.
- Pay attention to the places of stitching - the seams should be even, made of the same type, quality and color of threads.
- On real products, the skin is always soft, evenly colored, without wrinkles and irregularities.
- Glued seams in sneakers should be free from drips and frozen glue drops.
- Sneakers must be packed in a branded box. If the seller told you that there is no box of sneakers, it was lost, it was delayed at customs or it was stolen by aliens - you should think about the expediency of making a purchase in this store.
- Don't go looking for the "real Nike from America" with the dogs. All Nike production has long been moved to countries where labor is cheaper than in the United States. However, no one canceled quality control.
- One more detail that Nike is very sensitive about should not be overlooked. This is a tag sewn to the inside of the tongue of the sneaker. It is stitched very neatly on branded shoes and displays information about size, country of origin and Nike patents. Counterfeiters often find the tag an unnecessary luxury.
- Another distinguishing characteristic is the outsole. Nike branded sneaker outsole — matt, as it is composed of a complex composite material. Fake manufacturers save on the sole and use a material with a high percentage of rubber. The more rubber in the outsole, the more shiny it becomes.
- The next point is the AIR system. Most fakes have no air cushion at all. There is a kind of visual similarity, similar to chambers with compressed air, but in reality these are voids that are pressed through when walking, killing both the sole and the foot. You should definitely refrain from buying basketball shoes on the E-bay portal. E-bay is a graveyard of counterfeit goods. Registering an account there is a matter of two minutes, and in principle, they do not check the reliability of sellers there. Rescuing drowning people at a private auction is the work of the drowning people themselves.
And now let's look at everything clearly:
1. Workmanship
Original Nike Air Max Skyline SI:
An even seam, neatly sewn labels, no "burrs" and glue spots, and even more dried drops - this is the minimum that sneakers should meet.
Fake Nike Air Max 90 (black-varsity red-metallic silver):
2. Quality of materials
Next, we look at the materials, the sole should not be too shiny, "plastic" and slippery, if there is a foam layer, then it should be foam, and not a piece of plastic or rubber. The smell of being in a chemical plant should also make you stop buying such products immediately.
Original Nike Air Max 90 (black-varsity red-metallic silver):
Fake Nike Air Max 90 (black-varcity red-metallic silver):
If you put a fake and an original next to it, the differences are immediately striking. The fake copies the color scheme of the model and its shape, while the materials used are completely different, both in the main part and in the insert at the lacing, as well as in the upper and inner parts of the sneaker.
3. Box
The presence of the box is also a prerequisite, since the box often indicates the originality of the product. Her absence is enough reason to doubt.
This is what a box for Nike branded shoes looks like:
4. Compliance with technology
The next difference between fake sneakers and the most difficult to verify is the lack of compressed air chambers in the sole of the sneaker. The most famous Air system used in Nike sneakers. Other firms use similar technologies, but the names are different. The difficulty lies in the fact that you need to cut the air chambers to check. In original sneakers, they will burst with the characteristic cotton, because there the air is under pressure. Thus, the forgeries are technologically completely inconsistent with the originals. Which, of course, negatively affects not only the quality of shoes, but also your health.
5. "Made in China"
Also, don't look for sneakers made in the USA, Germany, England, etc. , because most of the factories are concentrated in Asian countries, which is due to the low cost of production per unit of production, and quality control at all factories of a particular brand is the same. If your Nike sneaker says “Made in China”, then there is no reason to worry: every original sneaker produced by this company throughout its history bears the same inscription.
6. Dimensions
A seller's offer of a full range of sizes of rare models is a sure sign that they want to sell you a fake.
7. Verified places
The main rule to avoid counterfeiting is to buy sneakers only in trusted places, especially for online stores, where there is often no way to touch the goods with your hands. Do not pursue a low price, in most cases the result of such a purchase will disappoint you too quickly. The price level for certain models can always be tracked on the Internet on the websites of official manufacturers, along with the colors of the models that were produced at one time or another.
It is enough for a specialist to look at the label sewn to the tongue to surely answer the question whether it is fake or not. But it is often very difficult for an ordinary buyer to do this. Therefore, the main weapon is information. Do not fall for the bait of unscrupulous sellers! Enjoy the shopping!
Nike's history is a success story. The famous sports firm grew out of a student's simple desire for quality footwear. Such stories inspire people to feats and clearly illustrate that the main thing in life is desire. Read, get inspired and take action.
Background
Nike's history begins in 1960. It is at this time that Phil Knight realizes that he does not have enough money for quality shoes. Phil was a jogger, so he trained a lot, more than one hour a day. All training took place in sneakers, and because of this, they quickly wore out. Local sports shoes were inexpensive $ 5. But the sneakers had to be changed every month, and a small amount multiplied by 12 months turned into a fortune for the poor student. Of course, there was an alternative. Expensive Adidas sneakers. But where could a young guy get $ 30 to buy sneakers with? All these circumstances give Phil Knight the idea that it would be nice to create his own business. The guy's ambitions were small, he did not want to open production. His goal was to help athletes in his area to be able to buy quality footwear at a low price. Phil shared this thought with his trainer Bill Bourman. Bill supported the intentions of the resourceful student and the men decided to found their own company.
Base
Nike's history begins with Phil's trip to Japan. The young man signs a contract with Onitsuka. An interesting fact is that at the time of signing the contract, Phil and Bill were not registered as the owners of any company. The guys settled all legal problems when they returned to their homeland. The student and his teacher took off the van and began to sell sneakers from it. Their trade went briskly. Local athletes appreciated the quality of the shoes and the reasonable price. For a year, Phil and Bill managed to earn fabulous money for both - $ 8,000.
Name history
The firm, founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bourman, is called Blue Ribbon Sports. Agree, the name is not the most simple and not memorable. Nike's history is inextricably linked to the team's third man. It was Jeff Johnson. The man was an education manager. It was to him that Phil turned. Jeff judged that the Blue Ribbon Sports name was inappropriate for the sports business. You need to come up with something short, but at the same time symbolic. In 1964, the company was renamed Nike. The history of the company lives up to the big name. Few people today know that Nike is the English spelling of the world famous goddess Nike. The winged statue was worshiped by warriors, as it was believed that it helps to defeat the enemy.
History of the logo
Today, the famous "swoosh" is inextricably linked with Nike. But it was not always so. Although we must admit, the simplicity and brevity of the logo allowed it to survive minor changes. Nike's history is linked to it today, so why exactly is it that adorns all sportswear? In fact, the sign is a Swoosh. This was the name for the wings of the famous goddess of victory. Swoosh was invented by student Carolyn Davidson. Phil and his team didn't have the money to hire a professional designer. So the logo, which cost the company $ 30, was fine with everyone. Initially, the Swoosh was not located separately from the inscription, but was its background. The name itself was written in italics. While studying the history of the Nike logo, many may be surprised that the creators cared little about redesigning it. The founders have always believed that the face of the company is not their logo, but the quality of their products.
The emergence of the slogan
Like any other big company, Nike has its own slogan. How did it come about? There are two main versions of the origin of the famous "Just Do It". According to the first version, the source of inspiration was the phrase "Let" s do it "by Gary Gilmore. What made Gary so famous? The criminal killed and robbed two people, but the fact of his execution brought him world fame. He became the first person to be" honored " to become a victim of a death sentence by a court It is said that Gary Gilmore was not afraid of death and even hastened his killers.
The second version of the logo creation is considered to be the words of Dan Weiden, who, at a meeting with company representatives, admired the built empire and said “You Nike guys, you just do it”.
Today it is difficult to test the correctness of one theory or another, but we can definitely say that the slogan of sporting goods in itself already motivates people to sport feats.
Break with supplier
Sometimes one may wonder how many envious people are in the world. The sad fate of Nike was not spared either. Phil's long-standing supplier Onitsuka gave him an ultimatum. He had to sell a successfully developing company, or Onitsuka stops supplying its products to America. Phil refused to sell his brainchild. Now the company was faced with the question of what to do next? Of course, one could find another supplier of products, but it is not a fact that the same story would not be repeated soon. Therefore, the Nike team makes a bold decision: to open their own production.
Extension
After all the transformations, the business of the company went uphill. Nike's story continues not from a van, but from a real store. In 1971, the company made its first million dollars. But Nike's founders understood that in order to stay afloat and maintain an established reputation, you need to make shoes special. Bill suggested that instead of flat-soled shoes, shoes with a grooved surface should be produced. Everyone liked this idea, and the company began to release new models. It must be said that in 1973 the company already had its own footwear factory, so there were no problems with the production of innovative footwear. A breakthrough in technology made Nike famous not only throughout the country, but also to neighboring countries.
First advertisement
The history of Nike creation is inextricably linked with the development of sports. The company has found a very effective way to advertise its products. Nike marketer - Jeff invited his colleagues to promote products with the help of athletes.
For each major sporting event, the company released a new collection of footwear. Moreover, the updates were not only related to the design. Each new batch represented a kind of breakthrough in technology. The company presented such a novelty to the athletes, hoping that they would wear shoes to the competition. In most cases, the company's expectations were met. A recognizable jackdaw flashed on the athletes' feet, and fans walked in droves to Nike stores. Every self-respecting fan considered it his duty to wear the same shoes that his idol wears. Even people far from sports, often could not resist buying a bright pair of boots that flashed on the feet of numerous residents of almost every American state.
Depreciation
Nike's history is inextricably linked to the many technical breakthroughs that took place in their factories. After all, only a manufacturer who constantly invents something new can take an honorable place among the world's best brands. So in 1979 it was decided to update the shoes. New models now have a shock-absorbing cushion. Surprisingly, before all the shoes were made without them. What is the advantage of such an innovation?
The foot is less stressed due to the fact that it hits not on the asphalt, but on a special cushion-substrate built into the sole. This technology, called Nike air, was invented by Frank Rudy. This person was not a Nike employee. The inventor of the famous sole offered the purchase of his idea to many sports brands, but only Nike agreed to try the innovation.
Cooperation with athletes
Nike's success story would not have been this big if they hadn't used athletes in their ads. Famous people helped to promote the products very quickly. In 1984, Nike signed a contract with Michael Jordan. It was at this time that the range of footwear of the company expanded, and the sports brand began to produce sneakers for basketball players. How can you tell the world about such a step? Sign a contract with a star. Interest in the company was fueled by the fact that the major basketball league banned athletes from wearing brightly colored shoes. Despite the ban, Michael Jordan still appeared at games in brightly colored Nike sneakers. For impudent disobedience, the athlete was paid a fine of $ 1000 after each game. You can imagine how much the company paid that he did not dare to violate the terms of the contract and agreed to pay fines.
Competition
Nike's history would be incomplete, if not to say about the competition. The main competitor has always been, and still is, Adidas. Puma is also considered a rival. To stay afloat, each of these firms has always tried to get each other's clients. The easiest move is to acquire people for yourself using the ideology of the company. In this, Nike has always stood out, since a powerful slogan helps the company to motivate not only athletes for sports achievements.
The crisis at Nike happened when Adidas bought Reebok. Moreover, the competitors were constantly spreading rumors that the company of Phil Knight was using cheap Asian power. Clients were especially frightened by the idea that the corporation uses the labor of children who are not even paid for their work. Despite all these rumors, in 2007 Nike merged with Umbro to become the leader in the sports goods market. Umbro produced the best quality sports equipment and until recently, Nike did not compete. By merging companies, the directors did not aim to absorb potential rivals or continue their expansion on an already solid foundation. The goal was this - to help the client save time and purchase all the necessary goods in one store.
Success
In 1978, the company was doing well. Nike's success story stems from the fact that manufacturers were not afraid to act boldly. Executives scrutinized competitors' weaknesses and saw that, for example, Adidas specialized exclusively in footwear for athletes. Nike, in turn, has launched a line of children's sneakers. It was a great decision that helped the company to become the market leader, since they had no competition. The company soon offered high-quality and cheap shoes not only to children, but also to women. And again the step was successful. Nike is renowned for taking courageous decisions and looking forward to the future.
Nike today
After reading the history of Nike's origins, one involuntarily admires the courage of two people who occupied an almost empty niche and created a world empire. Phil Knight did the impossible. From a simple shoe trader, he became the CEO of the world's largest corporation. Particularly surprising in this man is that he was not chasing profit. His main goal has always been to make this world a better place and to help athletes acquire quality running shoes at an affordable price.
Today, Nike stores more than just sports shoes. You can fully purchase all equipment from clothes and bags to thermal underwear and hats. Phil is no longer the head of the company. He retired in 2004. Mark Parker is today the leader and moral inspirer of the world's largest brand.
Advertising today
Nike is not only the world's largest sportswear and footwear firm. The company sponsors athletes, organizes sporting events, and produces stunning advertisements, each one a small inspirational masterpiece. The main characters of advertising are people who have gone the hard way to success and were able to take a place on the leadership podium. The company's goal is to inspire everyone to go in for sports, because it is people with good health and a spirit of a fighter who build the future of the whole world.
Reebok has factories in Russia, and all Puma is made in Asia.
Sportswear brands have moved their manufacturing to countries with cheap labor © flickr.com
Most American and European sportswear brands have moved their production to countries with cheap labor. Even some Ukrainian and Russian enterprises registering a brand abroad, in China.
The history of this great German brand can begin with the birth of its founder, Adolf Dassler. After the First World War, the Dasslers decided to organize their own business, namely a shoe sewing workshop. Already by 1925, Adi, as an avid football player, made himself the first pair of spiked shoes. It was forged for him by a local blacksmith, and the first boots were born. They turned out to be so comfortable that they began to be produced in the factory along with slippers.
In the late 40s, after the death of the head of the family, the brothers quarreled and divided the company. They divided factories, each brother got one, agreed not to use the old name and logo of Dassler shoes. Adi decided to call his brand Addas, and Rudy - Ruda, but soon their names were changed to Adidas and Puma, respectively. The Dassler brand has been successfully forgotten.
Columbia
Columbia Sportswear Company - the American company manufactures and sells outdoor clothing.
The company was founded by second wave German immigrants with Jewish roots - Paul and Marie Lamfrom. The Columbia Company was founded in 1937 in Portland and was engaged in the sale of hats. The Colombia Hat Company was named after the river of the same name that flowed near the residence of the Lamfrom family.
The hats that Colombia sold were of poor quality, so Paul decided to start his own production, namely sewing shirts and other simple work clothes. Later, the founders' daughter made a fishing jacket with many pockets. It was the first jacket in the company's product range, and its sales brought some fame to the factory.
Nike Inc. is an American company, world renowned manufacturer of sporting goods. The headquarters is in Beaverton, Oregon, USA. The company was founded in 1964 by student Phil Knight. He was a middle distance runner on the University of Oregon team. In those years, athletes had little choice in sports shoes. Adidas was expensive, about $ 30, and ordinary American sneakers cost $ 5, but they hurt my legs.
To remedy the situation, Phil Knight came up with an ingenious scheme: ordering sneakers in Asian countries and selling them in the American market. At first, the company was called Blue Ribbon Sports and did not officially exist. Sneakers were sold literally from the hands, or rather from the van-minibus Knight. He just stopped on the street and started trading. During the year of its existence, the company sold sneakers for $ 8,000. Later, the Nike company logo was invented.
Nike was best known for its "waffle" outsole, which made the shoe lighter and slightly more propulsive while running. It was this invention that brought Nike to the fore.
The history of Puma begins at the same time as the history of Adidas, as the founders of the brands are brothers. (see history of Adidas). Rudolph founded his company in 1948 - Puma . In 1960, the world saw a new logo for the company, the image of the adored by many representatives of the feline family - the cougar.
For many years the company has worked exclusively for athletes. By the early 90s, Puma was on the verge of bankruptcy. Consumers viewed the brand as imitative and expressionless. The new management has set a new goal - to make the Puma brand the most creative and desirable. A key element in the renaissance was the decision to develop footwear and apparel targeting narrow segments such as snowboarders, auto racing fans and yoga enthusiasts.
Reebok is an international sportswear and accessories company. The headquarters is located in the Boston suburb of Canton, Massachusetts. It is currently a subsidiary of Adidas.
The reason for the founding of the British company Reebok was the quite logical desire of English athletes to run faster. So in 1890, Joseph William Foster made the first running shoe with spikes. Until 1895, Foster was engaged in handcrafting shoes for top athletes.
In 1958, two of Foster's grandchildren found a new company and named it after the African gazelle - Reebok. By 1981, Reebok had revenues of $ 1.5 million in sales, but Reebok's biggest success was the following year. Reebok introduces the first athletic shoe specifically for women, the FreestyleTM fitness shoe.
The material used information from open sources, manufacturing companies, sources finance.tochka.net
The history of the Nike brand will be of interest to all running lovers.
Since about the 70s of the last century, young athletes have often had a difficult choice when buying sneakers: which company to prefer when buying running pairs. American "Nika" has always been among the popular brands. Starting with running shoes and spikes, the brand now accounts for 95% of the US basketball shoe supply. More than 74 thousand employees work under his name in various parts of the world. The brand's value is estimated at the lowest estimate at $ 27 billion, the highest value among brands in the sports industry.
We will find out how the history of Nike began, who created it and other details of the legendary brand.
How Nike was born
Nike's history dates back to the 60s. At that time, Adidas reigned in the American sports shoe market. Sneakers from local manufacturers, although they were cheaper, did not suit athletes (especially mass amateurs) with their quality. The legs were very tired in them, they practically did not soften the impact on the road surface, did not protect against injuries.
University of Oregon running coach Bill Bowerman and his student Phil Knight decided to make a difference. Having entered into an agreement with the Japanese Onitsuka Tiger, whose sneakers were then not much inferior to those of Adidas, but were several times cheaper, they began to trade them along the entire coast of the country. The date of birth of the company Blue Ribbon Sports they founded was 1964.
Bill Bowerman works with the outsole
At first, the trade was carried out from Knight's van, only in the late 60s, entrepreneurs opened the first sports store, and then began to create a network of partner outlets in different states of the country. By the end of 1970, they sold goods for 1 million. $.
Phil Knight
Independent production
The Japanese partner, having learned about the successful promotion of its products in America, decided to independently develop the American market and offered to buy out BRS on its own terms.
Under the threat of losing his business, Knight was able to quickly reorient himself and find a new supplier in Japan, Nisho Awai. At the same time, the founders of the future brand decide to start their own production. The experience gained prompted them that they would be able to conquer their niche in the market only by releasing products that would stand out from competitors.
The history of Nike's creation includes many events that influenced its further development.
Once, examining the waffle iron in front of him on the table, Baurman thought that such a grooved sole could enhance the support push and at the same time lighten the shoes. The idea was soon put into practice, and the waffle-soled sneaker became the most popular shoe in the country, and its grooved surface became a hallmark of the brand.
Baurman's wife's waffle iron
By that time, entrepreneurs began to call their products "Nika", and in 1978 they officially registered Nike, Inc.
The first sneaker with a waffle sole
Sport and Nike are inseparable
As people involved in sports, Knight and Baurman have focused on the sale and manufacture of athletic shoes since Nike's inception and throughout its history. Realizing well how important the example of champions and famous athletes is for the general public, entrepreneurs carried out individual orders for them, actively involved in advertising their products.
The first famous athlete to actively use Nicky's models was a student of the coach Baurman, a member of the US national running team, Steve Prefontein. After him, the title of the first racket of the world Ilie Nastase, the champion of the US Open-74 Jimmy Connors, the world record holder in marathon distances Kenyan Henri Rono performed in the shoes of the company.
Steve Prefontein
At the 76 Olympics, most athletes used Nike models.
The history of the company's development is not limited only to the manufacture of branded footwear. 1979 was marked by the release of the first samples of sportswear, designed by Knight himself and his wife.
Expanding sales
Since 1975, Nike has begun to organize the sale of products overseas. The first country in which sneakers began to be sold in droves was Canada. Successful advertising on the sports front, an active policy to capture the market, and the increased popularity of health jogging contributed in many ways to the explosive growth of sales to $ 25 million in 1977.
Air insoles
The company's success story would have been unthinkable without the appearance of NASA employee Frank Rudy within its walls. He proposed a depreciation technology developed by him. Air cushions filled with compressed gas were embedded in the back of the sole. His proposal was not immediately accepted, but it turned out to be revolutionary and brought the company worldwide fame and millions in profits.
Frank Rudy
Nike Tailwind, a sneaker with an air cushion sole, was launched in 1979. The company called the new technology AirMax. It is used by the corporation in a popular line of products in a wide variety of variations.
Reorganization into a joint stock company
By 1980, Nike had already captured half of America's athletic footwear market. The company is ripe for entering a new, higher level of development. Ahead was the struggle for leadership with the main competitors - the world-famous brands Adidas and Reebok.
There was a need for a public offering of shares, which would strengthen the company's reputation, make the brand even more significant and recognizable. In addition, the organization needed large loans, and banks are more willing to issue them against securities that are quoted on the stock exchange.
Nike reorganizes into an open joint stock company, carries out an IPO. The company had 2,700 employees at that time. Nike's history was entering a new stage of development.
Advertising strategy
Once in an interview, Phil Knight said that marketing is what, basically, all divisions of the corporation are doing. Product design and performance are only part of the global marketing process. He identified three pillars on which the organization's success was based:
- the use of famous athletes in advertising;
- product design;
- the advertisement itself.
Knight's advertising strategy throughout Nike's history has been built on the use of iconic athletes. The most important milestone was the signing in 1984 of a long-term contract with the best basketball player in the NBA, Michael Jordan. By investing millions in advertising with his participation, Nike Corporation managed to make the superstar the face of its shoe empire.
AirJordan sneakers were made for him, functionally suited to his playing style. They have become extremely popular in America. The teenagers were ready to give everything for the same sneakers as in "his air". All Nike products became more popular at the same time. The company's annual turnover during its cooperation with the "king of the air" has increased 4.5 times to $ 4 billion.
Nike Air Jordan 1 White Trainers
In 1988, Nike launched the classic "Just do it" ad campaign. In the future, "JustDoIt" will actually turn into the second name of the brand and will take its place in history as one of the best slogans. The cost of promoting the slogan by 1989 will reach $ 45 million. Along with Jordan, tennis star Andre Agassi and baseball player Beau Jackson were involved in the collaboration.
Further brand promotion
Since 1990, the company has started to create a network of its own retail stores Nike Town. The first brand store was opened in Portland. Its design soon made the institution a place of pilgrimage for tourists in the city. Now the network of such stores operates all over the world.
In 1991, Nike's sales in America reached the level of its main competitor, Reebok. The brand was successfully promoted in Europe, where the revenue amounted to $ 1 billion.
Nike positions itself as a global corporation in the world of sports. In the 90s, it continues to expand its product line. NikeGolf, NikePro, Nike +, AirJordan, NikeSkateboarding, subsidiaries of ColeHaan, Hurley International and Converse appear.
ColeHaan series shoes
Nike in Russia
Nike has been on the Russian market since 1993. A subsidiary of Nike LLC is engaged in the promotion of goods on Russian soil. In general, there are more than 100 stores throughout the country selling exclusively the products of this brand.
Where did the brand name come from?
The original brand name comes from Nick's name and is borrowed from ancient Greek mythology. This was the name of the winged goddess of victory.
The official history of the Nike brand says that the name was proposed by the first employee of the firm, Jeff Johnson. The founders could not agree on a name, so Jeff was called in to help. The name of the product had to be printed on the boxes in the morning. By morning, Johnson had a name for the new brand.
Jeff Johnson
The birth of the logo
The history of the logo is very prosaic. The legendary swoosh ("swoosh" or "flying with a whistle") was conceived and designed by Portland University student, future advertiser Caroline Davidson. Fate brought them together with Knight in an accounting class he taught as a teacher. She worked as a freelancer and Phil asked her to come up with an emblem that he could put on the side of his sneakers. The businessman paid her $ 35 for the work.
The evolution of the Nike logo
The image resembles the silhouette of the wing of the goddess Nika and has always been associated by creators with positive thinking, a healthy and energetic lifestyle, a symbol of leadership in the sports industry.
In 1983, already the head of Nike, Mr. Knight presented Davidson with a statue of a goddess with diamonds, as well as a block of shares in the corporation.
Nike today and tomorrow
Nowadays, the American corporation Nike Inc. is one of the leaders in the international market for sports shoes, clothing and accessories.
The Nike brand is known to millions of people around the world and is considered by many to be a global symbol of sports. The company has become famous for its unexpected and original innovative proposals.
She was the first to create a social network entirely dedicated to basketball on the Internet. For fans, a unique opportunity has been created to independently design sneakers of their own model on the corporate website. Directly on the site you can order your author's model from the manufacturer.
The improvement of the AirMax line continues. HyperAdapt, self-lacing sneakers, has become another model that amazes the imagination of the brand's fans.
Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 'Sport Royal'
The Nike + system has been implemented, allowing runners to track their runs using a sensor built into the shoe. It was the fruit of a collaboration with the IT industry giant Apple.
Nike + model
Financial performance
In recent years, the financial performance of the corporation has been constantly growing. The main parameter - revenue - grew by 35.9% over 5 years and amounted to $ 34.4 billion at the end of the 2017 financial year (as of May 31, 2017).
Sales in Europe, including Russia, as well as the Middle East and Africa, increased by 10% to $ 4.05 billion. With each report, the brand value increases, as estimated by experts from various portals. So, according to Interbrand, over the past five years, it has risen in price by 35.9%.
Management
Bowerman gradually retired in the 1970s, selling his stake piece by piece to various employees of the firm. He died in 1999.
Phil Knight stepped down as president of the corporation in 2004 and remains the chairman of the board of directors. In 2016, he left this post as well.
In June of the same year, the board of directors was chaired by Mark Parker, who is both president and CEO of Nike. The success of the organization in the last five years is largely attributed to his name.
Mark Parker
The corporation is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon. Now the complex consists of 7 modern buildings, each of which bears the name of legendary athletes.
Largest Nike headquarters building
Nike Incorporation's mission is to encourage as many people as possible to play sports, to make these activities fun for every athlete. In the field of sports and fitness, the company must be number one in the world.
Nike (Nike) is an American company known all over the world. It is one of the largest companies in the design, manufacture and distribution of sportswear, footwear and accessories.
Nike creation story
Nike appeared in a very unusual way. Ideally, new firms enter the market in two ways. The new company either occupies free space in the market, offering something new, or offers a better product than its competitors. The uniqueness of Nike is that when creating the company, its founder used both options at once.
Phil Knight, an ordinary student at the University of Oregon, founds Blue Ribbon Sports in 1964. It was this company that later turned into a whole empire, which is now known as Nike.
What is Nike's backstory? During his student years, Phil Knight was seriously interested in sports. He was even a middle distance runner on the university team. Knight's coach during those years was Bill Bowerman. In those days, there was no particular choice of sportswear. Professional athletes could afford $ 30 sneakers from Adidas, but ordinary American citizens were forced to be content with cheap and low-quality goods of unknown origin.
It was then that Knight decided to seriously work on correcting the situation. He soon developed a not very complicated, but quite interesting commercial scheme. According to a widespread legend, at a regular marketing seminar, Knight came up with the concept of his future company. The idea was that Knight would order athletic shoes from Asia and sell them in the United States at an affordable price. It was then - in 1964, Phil Knight, along with coach Bill Bowerman, took the first step, creating a small company called Blue Ribbon Sports.
Some time later, Knight enters into his first contract with the Japanese company Onitsuka Tiger, which undertakes to sew sports shoes for colleagues from the United States. Since Knight's company was not registered, in the early months, sales of goods took place on the street where the 26-year-old businessman was selling sneakers from a minivan van.
Oddly enough, but Knight's business began to develop at a rapid pace. In the first year of the company's existence, the founders' profits amounted to 8 thousand dollars. After calculating the revenue, Knight realized that it was time to develop and hire workers. Soon, a sales manager appeared in the company - Jeff Johnson, whose appearance brought several changes in the company at once. The name was changed first.
In honor of Nika, the Greek goddess of victory, the company was named Nike.
The second change was in politics. Johnson was convinced that the promotion of the company directly depends on the individual approach to each client. To do this, Johnson recognized and wrote down the phone numbers of all buyers, most of whom were athletes, called them and asked about the quality of the purchased goods. He was also interested in the defects of the goods, upon detection of which Johnson proposed new models. Johnson kept an entire filing cabinet where he wrote down all the reviews and suggestions from buyers. It was this strategy that became the key to the company's success.
Development
The end of the 60s of the last century was marked by the development in the history of Nike. It was then that the first brand store opened in Santa Monica, California. In 1968, the company released a new type of sneaker.
The new models were made using progressive lightweight materials and had good shock-absorbing properties.
In the early 70s, a company partner in Japan decided that the overseas company was making a lot. This was exactly the case, after all, compared with the first year, the company has multiplied its annual income, which in 1971 was $ 1.3 million. After that, Onitsuka Tiger tried to buy out the share of the American partner and raised the prices for the supplied goods. Knight foresaw such a development of events and before that managed to contact another Japanese company - "Nisho Iwai". At the same time, the founders of the brand, together with a sales manager, decided to start their own production in the United States. Moreover, they had everything necessary for a successful start.
In the same 71st year, the company received a new logo, which was soon to become popular all over the world. The logo was created by Carolyn Davidson, a student at the University of Portland. Then the girl created the famous emblem in the form of a stroke, which symbolized the wing of the Greek goddess for almost nothing, having received $ 30 for her work. Years later, as the company gained momentum, Knight presented a generous reward. Carolyn received a certain amount of company shares as a gift and an exclusive Nike logo figurine, which was studded with diamonds.
The popularity of the company has grown after another innovation - sneakers with "waffle" soles. A similar sole was produced using a completely new technology. This outsole significantly reduced the weight of the shoe while increasing momentum while running. The idea of creating a revolutionary technology belongs to Knight's trainer. It is said that Bauerman invented it quite by accident when he was looking at his wife's waffle iron.
The debut of the company took place in 1972, when the United States Olympic training camp took place before the Summer Games.
The following years brought the company a dizzying glory. In 1978, the company entered the international market for the first time. Nike launches sportswear production next year. Knight and his wife worked on the creation of the first models of clothing.
In those years, fitness was gaining popularity. It was this that was the main impetus that influenced the sale of Nike shoes with lightweight soles, which consolidated the company's position in the global market.
Since that time, the company has considered Adidas to be its main competitor. Since then, companies have been competing for the top position in the sports market. In 1973, Nike managed to gain half of the market share.
Nike Air Trainers
Each of us has heard the name of the legendary series of sports sneakers "Nike Air". What is her story?
In 1979, former NASA aeronautical engineer Frank Peris develops a completely unusual method of making sneaker soles. He offers his technology to many sports shoe companies and even Nike, but he gets rejected everywhere. But Paris's determination and persistence ultimately leads to Nike agreeing to use the engineer method in production.
The aircraft engineer's innovation was that he first proposed using a special cushioning system, which was supposed to significantly extend the "life" of the shoe.
Paris was not mistaken in her calculations, since it turned out that the new technology not only extended the life of the sneakers, but also made them more comfortable several times.
Michael Jordan is the star of the company
The well-known rule of successful advertising is that you need to partner with the stars to promote your products well. Nike decided not to experiment and take risks once again, starting to collaborate with sports stars and organizations.
The company has signed a large number of contracts, but the contract concluded in 1985 is still considered the most famous and most scandalous in the history of Nike. During these years, the popularity of the company began to gradually decline. It was then that Nike decided to sign a contract with NBA star Michael Jordan. And the reason for the current crisis was another experiment of the company with the production of casual shoes, which never found buyers.
Immediately after signing a contract with Nike, Jordan began to actively advertise the company. Nike sneakers were on him not only during basketball games, but also in everyday life. Especially for him, the company even released an exclusive series of sneakers called "Air Jordan". The irony, however, was that it was because of these sneakers that Jordan consistently paid $ 1,000 in fines. The fines were due to the black and red coloring of the sneakers, which was officially banned in the NBA. Mike was not at all embarrassed by this, since advertising brought him a fairly large income.
Nike today
Today the Nike brand is already known all over the world and is one of the main symbols of sports. The firm has consolidated its position in markets around the world. It offers everything you need for almost all sports. The company has repeatedly acted and continues to act as a sponsor of various sporting events. Nike successfully promotes its products in the field of football, where its competitor has traditionally been the leader. Much of the company's success comes from Nike's multi-million dollar army of production lovers.
It was Nike that first created a special social network dedicated to basketball. The company does its best to always be on top of new trends in the fashion world, never straying from customers and fans. Thanks to the social network, each fan has a unique opportunity to personally participate in the creation of the “sneakers of their dreams”. All you need is just to come up with a model and order it from the manufacturer.
Nike successfully cooperates not only with companies in the field of sports, but also with technology companies. The fruit of the collaboration with Apple is the Nike + iPod set, which is a set of audio player and sneakers that are linked together. In this way, each athlete gets the opportunity to observe various statistics on the progress of the training directly on the player screen.
The brand's concept is that everyone with a body is an athlete. That is why the company strives to produce goods for different buyers.
As with any story, there are dark sides here too. Nike has been and continues to be criticized for numerous human rights and safety violations. Since the company's products are manufactured in the third world, it was repeatedly scolded for very low wages ($ 40 per month). Also, the scandal with the use of child labor in the workplace became the cause of criticism. The brand's management, of course, tries to maintain control over everything, but Nike's volumes simply do not allow this.
In any case, there is no denying the fact that Nike is one of the largest sporting goods companies in the world. The company has factories in 55 countries of the world. The company employs 30 thousand people. The brand is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, United States.
