Nike Corp.

Nike, Inc. (IPA: /Л?naЙЄki/) (NYSE: NKE) is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered in the Portland metropolitan area of Oregon, near Beaverton. It is the world's leading supplier of athletic shoes, apparel and sports equipment with revenue in excess of $16 billion USD in 2007. As of 2008, it employed over 30,000 people world-wide. Nike is the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in the state of Oregon.

The company was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight, and became Nike in 1978. The company takes its name from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. Nike markets its products under its own brand as well as Nike Golf, Nike Pro, Nike+, Air Jordan, Nike Skateboarding, Team Starter, and subsidiaries including Cole Haan, Hurley International, Umbro and Converse. Nike also owned Bauer Hockey (later renamed Nike Bauer) between 1995 and 2008.[2] In addition to manufacturing sportswear and equipment, the company operates retail stores under the Niketown name. Nike sponsors many high profile athletes and sports teams around the world, with the highly recognized trademarks of "Just do it" and the Swoosh logo.

Contents

[hide]

* 1 Origins and history

* 2 Products

* 3 Headquarters

* 4 Manufacturing

o 4.1 Human rights concerns

* 5 Environmental report

* 6 Marketing strategy

o 6.1 Advertising

+ 6.1.1 Kasky v. Nike

+ 6.1.2 Beatles song

+ 6.1.3 Minor Threat ad

+ 6.1.4 Chinese-themed ad

o 6.2 Place

o 6.3 Sponsorship

* 7 References

* 8 External links

[edit] Origins and history

Bowerman's Waffle Racer

Bowerman's Waffle Racer

Nike, originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports, was founded by University of Oregon track asd athlete Phil Knight and his coach Bill Bowerman in January 1964. The company initially operated as a distributor for Japanese shoe maker Onitsuka Tiger, making most sales at track meets out of Knight's car. Many top Oregon runners began wearing the shoes, and the shoe's popularity grew quickly because of Kennan Meyer. The company's first self-designed product was based on Bowerman's "chicken and waffle" design in which the sole of the shoe was made by the pattern of a waffle iron.

The company's