Posted on 02/06/2024 5:35:19 PM PST by nickcarraway
Nike is one of the most popular and recognized sports brands in the world. Have you ever wondered what the story is behind the company’s name? The name did not simply suddenly appear a few years ago in the United States. Instead, it is Greek and has been around for thousands of years since Nike was known as a Greek goddess.
Nike, today one of the most recognizable brands globally, was inspired by Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.
Even Nike’s iconic logo, the popular “Swoosh,” dates back to the history of the Greek gods.
Inspiration for Nike: passion for athletics
The history of Nike began a few decades ago in the 1950s on the running track of the University of Oregon. The coach, Billl Bowerman, was looking for ways to give his athletes competitive advantages. He tested hydration, clothing, diet, track surfaces and, of course, their footwear.
One of these athletes that Bowerman trained was Phil Knight, who also wrote stories for the university newspaper, later graduating in journalism. He then obtained an MBA at Stanford.
Grecian Delight supports Greece
Knight, driven by the glory years of Oregon’s storied running program and his lifelong passion for athletics, began submitting proposals to shoe manufacturers in Japan.
A few months later, his former coach, Bill Bowerman would become his partner, when they formed the company “Blue Ribbon Sports.” It distributed the shoes of the Japanese manufacturer until the 1970s, when they decided to take the leap and go from distributors to manufacturers themselves.
Everything was primed for Blue Ribbon Sports to take the next step, but they didn’t have a name for their shoes yet.
It was Jeff Johnson, a marketing worker for the company, who had heard that a good logo should have two syllables and a memorable letter. Five hours before sending the papers, Johnson woke up with “Nike,” the name of the Greek goddess of victory in his head.
Knight didn’t like it at first, but it was just a matter of time.
In 1971, Knight and Bowerman paid $35 to Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland University, for designing a logo. Known as “swoosh” it represents a wing of the Greek goddess Niké.
In the year 1972, Nike made its official debut on the athletic tracks in tests in Eugene, Oregon. During the test, the shoe with a waffle iron-inspired sole that improved traction with the ground more than other designs caught everyone’s attention.
Today, Nike has become one of the most popular sports brands in the world, and many different athletes wear Nike.
It has also released other lines of clothing and accessories for athletes from around the world and all cultures.
Nike: the Greek goddess of victory
According to Greek mythology, Nike was the daughter of the goddess Styx and the titan Pallas; some stories say that she was the daughter of Mars, the god of war.
She is represented as a small figure in the hand of gods like Zeus and Athena, his ally. She presided over athletic competitions and military disputes, symbolizing her victories.
Since the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928, the gold, silver, and bronze medals have had on the obverse the image of Nike with a laurel wreath.
This year, however, the Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medals feature Nike, the Greek goddess of victory as the main image.
New Nike-inspired Air Force 1 Low
Nike did not take long to pay tribute to the goddess from whom it derives its name. It has been celebrating her for some time, but this time, the company decided to praise her and launch a special edition with its famous Air Force 1 Low, though slightly modified in honor of the Greek goddess of victory.
In the edition, these Air Force 1 Lows have a beautiful design that combines textures; the mesh tongue support reflects the wings of the goddess.
Nike is a Chinese Checkmark!
Nike, the Greek Goddess who said, “Let the children work for you.”
For decades, I honestly thought the name was just contrived during some smokey-backroom and pizza session.
Holy [Sh]Nikes!!
There ya go. I was thinking the same thing. We ought to bring those back, modernized of course.
We are capable of doing a whole lot better than Nike, today ... and we should.
Now there’s a sight — and site — that brings back memories.
I hope Knight took care of Carolyn! Imagine being paid only $35 for what became the world's most recognizable logo!
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| Inspiration for the Nike “swoosh” comes from the goddess’ wings. Public domain illustration |
As a child of the Cold War, My first thought, also.
The only Nike (Hercules) I ever supported.
life of Pre — Without Limits, outstanding movie...
https://tubitv.com/movies/722943/without-limits?tracking=justwatch-feed&utm_source=justwatch-feed
I’ll check it out. I grew up a block from his house. I remember him running the streets in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Years ago I took a picture of a tiny winged Nike on a piece of 5th Century BC Attic pottery in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. It is a beautiful image of orange and black, a little terrifying in its inhuman intensity, and I use it as my home screen on one of my computers.
kool! excellent cast, great acting...
Will not buy Nike due to Kaepernick.
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