Ch. 1 - Overview of Marketing (Brief History and Mission Statement)

Mission Statement: To bring inspiration and innovation to every* athlete in the world

*if you have a body you are an athlete.

History & Heritage

1950 - 1959: When Nike breathed its first breath, it inhaled the spirit of two men.

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.

 1960 - 1969: Founded on a handshake, $500 and mutual trust

They shook hands to form Blue Ribbon Sports, pledged $500 each and placed their first order of 300 pairs of shoes in January 1964. But Bowerman and Knight each had full-time jobs Bowerman at Oregon and Knight at a Portland accounting firm so they needed someone to manage the growing requirements of Blue Ribbon Sports. Enter Jeff Johnson, whom Knight had met at Stanford. A runner himself, Johnson became the first full-time employee of Blue Ribbon Sports in 1965, and quickly became an invaluable utility man for the start-up company

1970 - 1979: The birth of the Nike brand, and company

Johnson created the first product brochures, print ads and marketing materials, and even shot the photographs for the company’s catalogues. He established a mail-order system, opened the first BRS retail store (located in Santa Monica, Calif.) and managed shipping/receiving. He also designed several early Nike shoes, and even conjured up the name Nike in 1971. They selected a brand mark today known internationally as the “Swoosh,” which was created by a graphic design student at Portland State University named Carolyn Davidson. The new Nike line of footwear debuted in 1972. With a new logo, a new name and a new design innovation, what BRS now needed was an athlete to endorse and elevate the new Nike line His name: Steve Prefontaine.

1980 - 1989: A decade of transition and rededication

By the mid-1980s, Nike had slipped from its position as the industry leader, in part because the company had badly miscalculated on the aerobics boom, giving upstart competitors an almost completely open field to develop the business. Fortunately, the debut of a new signature shoe for an NBA rookie by the name of Michael Jordan in 1985 helped bolster Nike’s bottom line.In 1987, Nike readied a major product and marketing campaign designed to regain the industry lead and differentiate Nike from its competitors. The focal point was the Air Max, the first Nike footwear to feature Nike Air bags that were visible. A year later, Nike built on its momentum from the ‘Revolution’ campaign by launching a broad yet empowering series of ads with the tagline “Just do it.” The series included three ads with a young two-sport athlete named Bo Jackson, who espoused the benefits of a new cross-training shoe.

1990 - 1999: Nike extends its reach

Buoyed by a series of successful product launches and marketing campaigns, Nike entered the 1990s by christening its beautiful world headquarters in suburban Portland, Oregon. In November of 1990, Portland became the first home to a new retail-as-theatre experience called Niketown, which would earn numerous architectural design and retail awards and spawn more than a dozen other Niketown locations around the USA and internationally.

2000 - Present: Leading a new generation

Just as Nike’s products have evolved, so has Nike’s approach to marketing. The 2002 “Secret Tournament” campaign was Nike’s first truly integrated, global marketing effort. Departing from the traditional “big athlete, big ad, big product” formula, Nike created a multi-faceted consumer experience in support of the World Cup.“Secret Tournament” incorporated advertising, the Internet, public relations, retail and consumer events to create excitement for Nike’s soccer products and athletes in a way no single ad could ever achieve. This new integrated approach has become the cornerstone for Nike marketing and communications. President and CEO Mark Parker said: “At NIKE, Inc. we run a complete offense, and it’s based on a core commitment to innovation. That’s how we stay opportunistic, serve the athlete, reward our shareholders, and continue to lead our industry.”