Nike is among the leaders of athletic clothing, and sometimes it just seems to be everywhere. Indeed, the Nike logo is worldwide iconic imagery that sports enthusiasts acknowledge. The brand has crossed the boundaries of sports and now sells clothing even to such a broad audience that it now makes billions of dollars in sales revenue.
Ignoring the Nike logo is difficult; noticing it happens every day. As you follow championships and sports competitions, you see the company’s branding whenever a successful team enters the field. Nike’s logo evolution has been slow and steady. So, it seems that it would remain the mainstream sports’ audience for years now. Experts at “Eztuto Studio’ suggest that these are the most inspirational secrets behind the evolution of a logo which is so simple that it almost looks like a reverted comma.
What the Nike Logo Developed from
Nike itself was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports, a distributor of Onitsuka Tiger shoes. Seven years later, the company changed its name to Nike, due to inspiration from the Greek goddess of victory. That’s when the logo appeared and worked its way to fame.
- The Nike logo has its own name – the Swoosh. It has a simple design which signifies movement and energy. Each of its elements (additional text, colors, font) was chosen to be recognizable. You can find out more on LogoRealm.com to discover the essential reasons why this logo was born to be famous.
- It was known for years as the $35 logo, as this was the amount that in-house designer Carolyn Davidson was paid within 1971. She later received additional compensation worth of $643 shares. Different times than today, where you can get a great original design from Eztuto Studio.
- Nike stood out in the sports industry by being among the first brands that outlined their logo in visible spots from their clothing items, instead of letting them hide on the inside back label. Such an initiative was the only standard in the fashion and accessories industry.
Backed-Up Sponsorships
The Nike sponsorship process begins with the brand approaching teams and athletes. It is not likely for a group or sportsperson to obtain sponsorship unless their representatives receive a phone call or email from Nike.
The brand currently sponsors teams and athletes from the USA, Africa, Asia, North and South America, and Oceania. Most famous sponsorships are:
- NFL, NBA, WNBA, NBA-D league, FIBA.
- FC Barcelona, FC Chelsea, FC Manchester City.
- Soccer players Andres Iniesta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Clint Dempsey.
- Basketball players Kobe Bryant, LeBron James.
- The United States men’s national volleyball team.
- Golf player Tiger Woods.
- Tennis players Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Simona Halep.
Nike also sponsors dozens of US college sports teams. The first professional athlete endorser was Romanian tennis player Ilie Năstase, while the first track endorser was distance runner Steve Prefontaine.
The brand doesn’t just sponsor its favorite sports clubs, competitions, and players. Nike named a building in its corporate headquarters in honor of Steve Prefontaine. Also, the most recent initiative came shaped as an outside panel in Madison Square Garden celebrating Romanian tennis player’s victory – even though she played against American player Sloane Stephens.
Making Room for Sports Records
Air Jordan is a line of clothing and footwear developed by Nike. The brand was created for former professional basketball player Michael Jordan. The first Air Jordan I sneaker was produced in 1984 and released to the public during the same year. The brand was so successful that it now it also produces clothing items and plenty of remakes from its first collections.
Even though Air Jordan features a different branding and a unique logo, the Nike logo is also visible on sneakers such as the classic model Air Jordan I. The versatility of the Nike logo has proved that you can place a branding element next to another one and still be successful.
Buying Turned into an Experience
The Nike logo is so famous that you don’t need the brand’s name to recognize one of its stores. The brand decides to you all of the variations of the logo on different products and adds such as:
- Independent Swoosh.
- Swoosh and Nike name.
- Swoosh and Just Do It
- Nike name, Swoosh, and motto.
However, Nike had a change to its first logo in 1987. Some clothes collections occasionally celebrate the brand’s beginnings by adding the retro logo on products.
Logos also Fit into Campaigns
As a top brand in its field, Nike is famous for contributing to the evolution of sports. The company gets involved in supporting sports teams and developing social and health campaigns. This is an additional occasion to show cast the logo next to a message.
In February 2017, Nike released a campaign supported by an ad which promotes equality and using the psychological principles of sports off-court. The brand used its voice to inspire people by also including stars like Serena Williams, Kevin Durant, Victor Cruz and actor Michael B. Jordan. The add was timed with an announcement of a partnership with world-class organizations dedicated to promoting equality. The Nike logo was ahead of the year’s Grammy broadcast on CBS. Nike also donated $5 million to Mentor and PeacePlayers NGOs.
March 2017 was the month when Nike released a video as part of a campaign in the Middle East. The brand wanted to advertise its new Hijab Pro-Line for Muslim women and encourage them to break down barriers and pursue their dreams. The video had 75,000 shares on Twitter and 400,000 views on YouTube within the first two days upon its release.
Nike also promoted messages such as:
- 1995: If You Let Me Play – promoting sports to girls.
- 2008: Here I Am – supporting strong athletic women.
The Nike Logo’s Future
Graphic designers say that the Nike logo has everything it needs to be successful. It’s consistent, timeless, simple and memorable. The effort made over 40 years ago paid in fame and revenue. However, there’s more to the logo than the eye can see. It’s available in red, orange or black – on white or black backgrounds. While black symbolizes elegance, red signifies energy. Orange stands for joy.
The Nike logo is one of those images that athletes, sports enthusiasts, and regular buyers will continue seeing for a long time. The brand has so many reasons why it should continue to include its logo in product and social campaigns – and, most probably, it will. Will it continue to lead the athletic products market for the youth or expand its success for an audience of all ages? Time will tell. Until then, the brand just does it.
