Nike is a brand that is liked or maybe loved by everyone around the globe, especially those who know the worth of stylish, modern, sleek, comfortable and worthy footwear. Nike was started as a brand that used to manufacture running shoes but now this brand had literally taken over the sports footwear industry.
Nike is a globally famous brand that commoners and athletes love. Do you have any idea about the history of Nike and how it has become the powerhouse of the sports footwear industry? Well, Nike has surely revolutionized the sports footwear industry; therefore, you must know about the key factors that have helped Nike so far to build the empire it is now. This blog is all about Nike, the key features of their shoes and how it has become quite successful from its humble beginning till date.
Foundation and Early Years of Nike Company
Nike is a global sportswear brand, but its roots are in America, and surely, it has surpassed all other sportswear brands in the race. Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman were the ones who introduced Nike back in 1964.
The story of Nike began back in1962 when Phil Knight went for a visit to the Onitsuka (which is now known as Asics) factory in Japan. He was quite famous for the quality of their shoes and instantly shook his hand on a deal with the shoe production company where he would sell their Onitsuka Tiger shoes in the United States. Bill Bowerman was Knight’s former coach, and then he became part of the venture and started promoting and selling the shoes.
Knight took care of the business aspects, whereas Bowerman worked on the creatives to work on the design of the shoes. In 1971, both Knight and Bowerman separated their ways from Onitsuka, and then they introduced their company as Nike, and its logo took the sportswear industry by storm. Now everyone knows the worth of an original Nike shoe.
Brand Evolution and Expansion of Nike Company
In 1976, when Nike wanted to spread their business and wanted to become more famous, they bought John Brown and Partners and a year later, Nike made their first ad with the tagline “There is No Finish Line.” The ad didn’t put much spotlight on Nike, but still, it earned the brand’s attention and popularity. Nike became a public company back in 1980, and by that time, it was ruling 50% of the athletic shoe market in the US.
Nike was getting all the attention and love from the public, and therefore, the brand decided to do something extra with their brand and introduced their first lightweight jacket called the WinRunner in 1979.
It was important to do marketing for the brand, so Nike hired Weiden and Kennedy in 1982 to put more spotlight on the brand in other countries by making ads printin Nike product pictures, and writing some articles about it in different magazines.
Brand Evolution of Nike Company
Nike is a sportswear brand, and therefore it got in touch with the world famous athletes that would surely do justice to the worth of their products. Following is the list of high-profile athletes that endorse Nike:
- Mia Hamm
- Roger Federer
- LeBron James
- Tiger Woods
- Serena Williams
- Cristiano Ronaldo
How can you forget Michael Jordan, the biggest name that has endorsed Nike, and all these high-profile athletes have been the real force in promoting the brand? The chain store of NikeTown was first established in1990.
Marketing Innovations of Nike Company
Marketing strategies have really helped Nike to reach the top. Well, their shoes are a hit and for all the right reasons, but it was marketing that helped Nike to rule the sportswear industry. Celebrity endorsements and partnerships with high-profile athletes at the beginning stage help Nike to get attention globally.
- Michael Jordan was a rookie in the NBA, but the sign and endorsements by this person helped Nike in the early 1980s to go through a struggling phase.
- The agreement between Michael Jordan and Nike was finalized in 1984, and it was the groundbreaking step that literally revolutionized the sportswear industry.
Nike introduced the Air Jordan sneakers that are still quite famous, but back then, it was a global phenomenon and made Nike the dominant force in the sportswear industry.
Global Growth and Challenges of Nike Company
Nike is a global brand now, but it has faced hardships to earn the top spot where it is now. Back in the 1990s, Nike faced criticism because of its poor production conditions in its overseas factories. With the help of factory audits, Nike made sure that the brand didn’t have to face such criticism again in the future by implementing reforms. Labor practices were another hurdle that Nike had to go through. Poor working conditions and wages became a reason for all the negative publicity of the brand.
Again, Nike faced all the criticism and made sure that nothing like that happened again by implementing strict regulations that helped to improve the work situation for the laborers with better wages.
Competition from rival brands
Adidas and Under Armour have surely given Nike a run in the sportswear industry competition, and the competition is still running between these brands. After Nike, many other sportswear brands have been introduced, and they are also globally famous, but again, Nike is at the top because it is working on their designs and how they can make their product look better than their rivals.
Current Standing and Future Outlook of Nike Company
Nike has faced many challenges, but it has been successful in securing the top position and still ruling the sportswear industry in all its glory. The plans for Nike are to further secure and strengthen its presence and keep expanding its business globally.
Final Words
Nike faced many accusations of labor practices, and over time, many other brands were launched in the sportswear industry, but Nike is still at the top. The reason is Nike is still working to improve their design the features, like how they can make their shoes even better for a comfortable experience for the buyer. Doubtlessly, you can call Nike the global leader of the sportswear industry.