The Swoosh is the logo of American athletic shoe and clothing manufacturer Nike, Inc. Today, it has become one of the most recognizable brand logos in the world, and the most profitable, having a worth of $26 billion alone.
Harvard Business School professor, Stephen A. Greyser, has described the logo as "the living" vibrant symbol of the firm.
Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight founded Nike on January 25, 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS). Upon changing its name to Nike, Inc. on May 30, 1971, the company adapted the Swoosh as its official logo the same year.
Carolyn Davidson, a student at Portland State University, created the logo, attempting to convey motion in its design. It also symbolizes the wing of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, from which the company derived its current name.
It was here that she met Phil Knight, who was at the time teaching accounting classes at the university. Knight had overheard that Davidson was in search of extra funds in order for her to take oil painting classes, so he offered to pay Davidson to do some freelance work for his company, Blue Ribbon Sports (later Nike, Inc.) Knight offered to pay Davidson $2 per hour (about $14 per hour today) for the work that she completed.
The Swoosh has appeared alongside the trademark "Just Do It" since 1988. Together, these two make up the core of Nike's brand, and has been the face of the company, with many high-profile athletes and sports teams around the world sporting the logos.
