Early in 1984, Nike shoes was a struggling shoe company. The running shoe phenomenon that has fueled their sales in previous years was slowly dying and they needed a way to revitalize and reinvent themselves in order to appeal to another segment of the market. At the same time, rookie player Michael Nike was already endorsing several products, but Nike hoped that his appeal would generate sales. Nike, though, had other ideas. He had always preferred Adidas or the Converse shoes endorsed by North Carolina Coach, Dean Smith, and hoped to sign on with either company. Converse, with Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on board as spokesmen, were not interested in offering a better deal than Nike, and Adidas wasn’t interested at all at the time; perhaps due to Kathe Dassler’s death the same year. While Nike, himself, did not initially see the significance of air max nike Nike’s offer, his agent, David Falk, saw a golden opportunity in Nike’s offer to create a new line of shoes called “Air Nikes.” and urged him to give Nike a chance.
At that time, there was not a tremendous impact from a shoe endorsement, and few companies were willing to risk so much of their marketing budget to bet on one athlete to promote their products. An athlete as paid for wearing the products but little else resulted from an endorsement.It’s possible that Nike’s reluctant attitude stemmed from this fact as much as his allegiance to Converse and Adidas products.
Throughout the entire meeting Nike was reported to seem disinterested and bored, but as he and Falk left the meeting, nike air max 90 said to his agent, “Let’s make the deal.”The video presentation featured slow-motion clips of Nike’s college career and some of his high-flying Olympic moves with a background of then hit music “Jump” by the Pointer Sisters. Nike Head Designer, Peter Moore presented sketches of AJ1 shoes, jumpsuits, and sports apparel, all in black and red. Michael’s remarks upon seeing the designs were less than enthusiastic. He is reported to have said,“I can’t wear that shoe, those are Devil colors”
Nike saw something special in Michael Nike, though. They saw a chance, an opportunity. He was a champion with personality, charisma, and heart, and they were willing to put the company on the line. They knew from the beginning that he would be a star and wanted to help him get therer. Finally, after much persuasion from his manager and parents, the reluctant rookie agreed to fly to the Nike headquarters in Portland, Oregon to view a special video presentation and proposal though he later stated in retrospect that he went with no intention of signing with Nike.
With those four words, the Air Nike legacy was born. Nike signed Nike to a $2.5 million deal for 5 years, plus royalties and other fringe benefits. Peter Moore created the first AJ Logo with a basketball with wings lifting it. The introduction of the Air Nike I turned the athletic shoe industry upside down. Before the AJ I, most basketball shoes were white, but the bold black and red styling of the Nike I flouted this convention. The NBA banned the shoe from the league in response, but Nike wore them anyway, racking up serious fines of up to $5000 a game. Nike, of course, was more than happy to pay these to keep the shoes on Nike’s feet and in the public eye. All this controversy and Nike’s spectacular numbers that year served to put the Air Nike line on the road to becoming a household name.
Air Nike Shoes were a part of the Nike, Inc. family until late in 1997 Nike unveiled a new marketing plan and Nike became its own sub-brand of Nike. To mark this change, the new Nike Brand released the Air Nike XIII, Air Nike Team, and Air Nike Trainers. From this point on, Nike Brand products no longer featured the Nike name or Nike Swoosh, and their only connection to Nike,Inc is a fine print address for Nike headquarters to be used for insurance purposes.
Air Nike shoes have consistently been among the best selling basketball shoes since their creation in 1985. The Nike brand is a household name and people of all ages and social strata line up eagerly for the release of the latest model. Some of this success can be attributed to the fact that the shoes, from the Nike III to the most recent model, have always started with their namesake, Michael Nike. The designers take his ideas, hobbies, and life into account and incorporate these feelings into the shoes. A number of Nikes have been designed after Nike’s cars and some of the more recent models, like the the Nike XXI (Nike 21) on the way, some wonder when the Air Nike line will be retired while others speculate that, in honor of the man, the last Air max 24-7 will be the Nike XXIII (Nike 23). No matter what happens to the signature Air Nike line, it’s a good bet that the brand and its tradition of quality, high-fashion basketball and athletic shoes will continue long after Air Nikes have retired.
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