According to research firm E-Poll, there are more than 200 million sneakerheads in the U.S. alone — and that number is growing fast. That’s a lot of people who love sneakers as much as we do at Nike. And for good reason: Sneakers offer endless possibilities for expressing your style, from casual to sporty to formal. They’re also highly customizable:
You can mix and match different types of kicks, like running shoes, casual shoes or formal shoes. On top of all that, sneakers provide an amazing value proposition: For less than $100 per pair, you can own some pretty high-end footwear. These qualities have made sneaker culture so vibrant and dynamic. Which explains why we’ve gone to such great lengths over the past few years to elevate our role within it as well as witness the power of Nike’s legacy in the sneaker space ever since we first released our first product way back in 1964 with the release of The Cortez original running shoe design
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The Nike and Adidas sneaker wars
Back in the ‘90s, Nike and Adidas were engaged in a fierce battle for the hearts, minds and wallets of sneakerheads. Nike had long been the “Official Shoe of Sport,” and the company had done an impressive job of repositioning its brand and products as fashion-forward and relevant. Adidas’s biggest selling point was that it was the “Official Shoe of Basketball,” and the brand was hungry to expand outside the U.S. market and gain a foothold in the sneaker market outside the U.S. market.
In an effort to steal market share from Nike and gain the attention of sneakerheads, Adidas began to unveil special edition “Flyknit” sneakers, which were infused with a knit-like material that was both light and flexible. Adidas’s copycat design attempt didn’t work: Nike’s original Air Jordan line kept dominating the sneaker industry, and consumers were steadily becoming more sneaker-savvy.
Nike’s Flyknit shoes, which debuted in 2014 with the release of the Air Max “Knit,” would eventually become the most successful sneaker product of the Adidas-owned Reebok brand.
Why is Nike so important to the sneaker industry?
Nike has become one of the most recognizable brands in the world, and the company’s history with the sneaker industry is well documented. Founded by two university students, it didn’t take long before the brand gained momentum and became a force to be reckoned with in the athletic footwear market. It’s dedication to sports and culture has made it one of the most innovative companies in the world.
With the help of Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” slogan, the brand has elevated its position as a lifestyle brand, with a strong focus on inspiring others to be their best selves. It’s sponsorship of professional athletes, such as LeBron James, has led to an increase in the brand’s popularity among fans.
How Nike revolutionized running shoes with the Air Jordan series
In the late ‘80s, the running shoe market was dominated by traditional traction running shoes, which were designed to offer the most stability. Nike’s answer to this challenge was to develop the Nike Air system, which utilized a new kind of foam (as opposed to the traditional inner sole material) that allowed for a more flexible and bouncy ride.
These innovations, coupled with Jordan’s incredible ability to consistently improve his game and elevate his game, helped Nike’s brand gain a tremendous amount of traction in the basketball market. Over time, Nike’s Air system would be tweaked, offering a wider variety of colors, prints and materials. Soon, It’s Jordan line would become a phenomenon, with the Air Jordan 11 retro model becoming the best-selling Jordan sneaker of all time.
The development of Nike’s first running shoe, The Cortez
Air Jordan’s success made it clear that Nike was onto something with its Air Jordan line, with the running shoe market also seeing a few innovative new companies enter the scene. One of these new companies was The Swoosh, which was founded by Tinker Hatfield and Mark Parker in 1977. One of its’s earliest running shoe designs, the Nike Cortez, was originally released in 1984 and became one of the most successful running shoe designs of the 20th century.
The black Cortez model is represented by the first three digits in the Nike logo, which relates to Tinker’s belief that the logo should be simple. The Cortez, which is still being sold today, was one of it’s first products to feature a waffle sole design, which was inspired by Tinker’s love for waffles.
Final Words: Bottom line
While sneakers have certainly come a long way since the days of Tinker Hatfield, Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, the basic principles of the sneaker industry remain the same. Brands must make great products, have a deep connection to their customers and have a vision for the future.
Nike is staying true to its original mission today as it strives to lead the sports and fitness industry, inspiring billions of people around the world to be their best selves.
