BUDGET DESIGN INK - History of the $35 Nike Swoosh

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History of the $35 Nike Swoosh

What Makes an Iconic Brand?

In 1971, Portland State University graphic design student Carolyn Davidson was sitting in the hall when she mentioned not having enough money to take a class. She was then approached by accounting professor Phil Knight about freelance work for his company, Blue Ribbon Sports. Blue Ribbon Sports decided to launch their own brand of football shoe, called the Nike. Knight once again asked Davidson to create a design for this new brand.

Over 17 and a half hours was spent making the design. Davidson wanted to convey motion in a design that would look clean and classic when placed on a shoe. Importantly, the design needed to differ from rival company Adidas. The Swoosh is created using two curved lines, depicting motion with onomatopoeia attached as well. Say “swoosh” out loud. What do you imagine? Even the word has an element of movement included. She worked by sketching designs on tissue paper and then placing those designs over a shoe drawing.

At first, Knight and his business partners were not impressed by the design but decided to move forward with the Swoosh. Now, the logo represents so much more than motion. For a multi-billion company that has established itself as an authority in the world of sports, that Swoosh refers to a lifestyle rather than a specific product.

Until 1995, Nike was written in Futura Bold within the Swoosh. Futura is a sans serif font based on geometric shapes that have achieved widespread use throughout the 20th century. It is intended to imply forwardness and efficiency. After 1995, Nike removed their name from the design and therefore the font, but their brand was established: Davidson’s Swoosh is the key identifier of Nike.

So the Swoosh came to be. For her efforts in the project, Davidson received $35. Following the success of Nike, Davidson was awarded a ring with an embedded diamond and an envelope containing 500 shares of Nike stock.