Most importantly, it has stood the test of time, which is every designer’s dream. I believe it’s exactly what a logo should be: timeless, with just enough emotion to make it memorable. It’s fascinating to see even with many different campaigns and taglines, the swoosh has remained at the core of Nike’s brand identity. The Nike logo is incredible because it’s simple and versatile. The first print ad in 1976 didn’t even feature the product-it relied solely on photography, emotion and the simple logo.ĭavidson eventually moved on to work with other clients, but her work on the logo wasn’t forgotten. In 1983, once Nike became a smashing success, Knight gifted Carolyn a gold Nike ring and an undisclosed amount of shares in the company. Let’s just say she eventually made more than that $35! Seattle design firm John Brown & Partners took Davidson’s logo to develop an engaging first advertising campaign. Just what every designer likes to hear, right? For the project, she was paid a total of $35. When Carolyn presented her concepts, Knight’s response was, “I don’t love it but I think it will grow on me”. Well, when you really love something, try to get somebody to look over here at something different.”

Davidson said in later years: “Oh, (Knight) loved Adidas. The brief was to design a “stripe” for a shoe brand that represented movement, obviously inspired by Adidas. That’s right-$2/hour! That equates to about $14/hour nowadays.

He asked if she’d like to do some design work for $2/hour. Phil Knight, an eventual co-founder of Nike, Inc, was teaching an accounting class and took note of 23-year-old Davidson’s design skills. We all know the famous swoosh-it’s undeniably one of the most recognisable logos in the world!ĭavidson studied graphic design at Portland State University. Quick Design History: The Nike Logo #ThrowbackThursdayĬarolyn Davidson is a graphic designer best known for designing the Nike logo.

Nike logo design