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1. History of Nike
Over 50 years ago, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight shared a vision of producing high quality footwear so they joined forces to start a small footwear company. The company was so small, that the first distribution center was located in the trunk of Knight’s car. Regardless of their inauspicious early years, the duo remained focused and developed innovative designs and creative marketing campaigns transformed their company into one of the world’s most recognizable brands today, Nike.
In 1955, Bill Bowerman was the track coach at the University of Oregon, where he coached a middle distance runner named Phil Knight. Both player and coach shared an interest in developing new and different ways to enhance an athlete’s performance by improving the equipment they used, such as track surfaces and running shoes. Bowerman was so determined that he would cobble his sneaker designs for his team to give them a cutting edge.
After receiving his MBA at Stanford University, Knight’s interest in improving athletic products developed into a business plan to manufacture high quality sneakers in Japan that were sold here in the United States. Knight implemented his plan and struck a deal with Onitsuka Company in Kobe Japan to be the distributor for Tiger shoes in the US.
Knight pitched the idea to his former coach, Bill Bowerman, who quickly became his partner. The two started Blue Ribbon Sports, a distribution company for Tiger shoes. After a few years of selling sneakers out of the trunk of Knights car, business picked up and they were able to open their first retail store in Santa Monica, CA.
In 1971 took Blue Ribb ...