Nike brand history began as early as 1940s when Bill Bowerman decided to try his hands at designing high quality running shoes. At that time he was the coach of Phil Knight, a middle-distance runner. Phil assumed the responsibility to test the quality of the sports shoes at first hand. He was studying at Stanford University to receive his MBA. It was then that it occurred to him to set up a shoe company that was later named Blue Ribbon Sports. The idea was brilliant as at that time the only available US made sports shoes were cheap but of extremely poor quality whereas high quality German made ones cost six times as much.

In the year 1963 Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman made the contract with Onitsuka factory located in Japan for the marketing of their sneakers in the USA. However, at first they managed to buy only 300 pairs of Japanese sneakers some of which they simply took to pieces to improve their design. The improved sneakers were sold like hot cakes. Only a year later the partners placed another order with Onitsuka factory for a new lot of goods.

Their business was doing so well that they decided to take on a sales manager. It was Jeff Johnson who became the manager and it was he who laid down the foundations of CRM system of the company. Soon Blue Ribbon Sports company managed to open its first store in Santa Monica, California. Then Bill Bowerman designed sneakers with nylon upper and a year later the company’s earnings per year were $1,000,000.

In the early 1970s Blue Ribbon Sports company broke the contract with their Japanese partners and set up their own shoe factory. The new company was named Nike after the name of gorgeous Grecian goddess of victory. Jeff Johnson had a dream about her and it has been still considered that the idea to name the company Nike came to him in a dream. It was then that a famous Swoosh logo was devised. It symbolizes the wing of the same Grecian goddess. Nowadays Nike items have a high reputation for their high quality, durability and spectacular design.