Founded in 1962, Nike, Inc. was one of the first designers of special shoes for athletes. The corporation has been at the fore-front of advertising (see entry under 1920s—Commerce in volume 2) and marketing techniques since the 1980s. Although Nike has continued to identify itself with athletes and athletic achievement, Nike sneakers are just as likely to be worn by nonathletes who simply want a stylish designer casual shoe.

Nike got its start in Eugene, Oregon, and was the creation of two men, Bill Bowerman (1911–1999) and Philip Knight (1938–). Bowerman was a track-and-field coach at the University of Oregon who was constantly searching for an athletic shoe that would help his teams run faster and jump higher. Knight was a businessman who had been a runner on one of Bowerman's teams when he was in college. Knight and Bowerman teamed up in 1962, first to import Japanese running shoes, then to...