The $35 Creative Nike Logo Design and the Woman Who Made It
In reality, the Nike Swoosh was designed by graphic designer Carolyn Davidson in 1971. Her invoice total for this important piece of design history? $35.
The Nike Swoosh: one of the most recognizable logos in the world. You might imagine that an image so iconic would have been designed by an important advertising or branding firm that was paid millions to come up with the advertising scheme. But you’d be wrong if you thought that. In reality, the Nike Swoosh was designed by graphic designer Carolyn Davidson in 1971. Her invoice total for this important piece of design history? $35.
The Nike Logo Origin – How did the Nike Swoosh come to be?
Source: Nike
Nike is a global athletic shoe and sportswear brand best known for its Swoosh logo, designed by Carolyn Davidson in 1971. For graphic designers, creatives, brand enthusiasts, and anyone looking for logo history or design inspiration, the story starts earlier: Blue Ribbon Sports was founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight and later became Nike, Inc., now headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon. In 1971, Davidson was a graphic design student at Portland State University, and in 1969 she met Knight, then an assistant professor at PSU. Knight knew Davidson was in search of extra funds to take oil painting classes, so he asked Davidson to help him out on some projects at a rate of $2 an hour.
Once Knight came up with the idea to strike out on his own and create his own brand of athletic shoes, he asked Davidson to help him come up with a stripe or an image that could go on the side of the shoe as a side job. Davidson came up with the Nike Swoosh, a checkmark shape that is fluid and indicates movement and speed. The image also resembles a wing and hints at the brand name, Nike, which was named after the Greek goddess of victory. After some work on the logo, Davidson then handed the design over to Knight for a mere $35.
Knight launched his athletic shoe brand with the swoosh on the side (despite initially saying he didn’t love the logo), and it has since become one of the most famous athletic shoe and gear brands of all time. That evolution from Blue Ribbon Sports to a global brand, makes the Nike logo a useful case study in how a simple piece of design can shape brand recognition at massive scale, and why Davidson’s role, the logo’s meaning, and the creative ideas it continues to inspire still matter.
Who is Carolyn Davidson?
At the time she designed the Nike Swoosh, Davidson was a graphic design student looking for extra money. When she produced the Swoosh, Knight accepted the design, and Davidson continued to design for Nike until 1975. Once she graduated from school, Davidson decided to be a work from home as a freelance designer, which she continued to do for about 30 years
Why was she only paid $35 for her work?
Davidson maintains that she doesn’t know how long she worked on the Nike Swoosh, but that she only charged Knight for 17.5 hours of work, which ended up in a $35 paycheck. While she didn’t profit immediately from her work on the Swoosh, the designer was eventually celebrated by the company when they threw a party in her honor. She was also given a generous amount of stock in the company (estimated to be worth upwards of $1,000,000), as well as a diamond and gold ring featuring the Swoosh design.
Small Job, Big Payoff
When Carolyn Davidson designed Nike’s logo, she was initially only paid $35 for her design work. But that early success made her a favorite of Knight’s, leading to her landing a job for four more years, along with much more freelance work and, eventually, $1 million. Davidson’s work is a good example of how every connection in the design world can be important and how little jobs and efforts can ultimately pay off in very big ways.
What About the Swoosh?
You absolutely don’t need us to tell you how iconic Nike’s swoosh logo has become. You’ve seen it. You know. But what makes this logo stand out when compared to so many other sports brands is that it literally stands alone. In 1995, Nike decided that its famous logo didn’t need to carry the company’s name anymore. It was going to go symbol-only. The brand had become so recognizable – with everybody instantly associating the swoosh with Nike – that the name didn’t even need to be said anymore.
You see that famous checkmark and you think of Nike.
What Happened to Carolyn Davidson?
As we’ve already mentioned, Davidson ended up working – in a freelance capacity – with Nike for several years after creating the swoosh. Eventually, the company grew large enough that it could no longer sustain its marketing through the efforts of one person, resulting in Davidson handing over the reins of Nike’s creative aspects to an advertising company.
But Nike didn’t forget about her.
In 1983, four years after Nike went public, the company invited her to a special reception. Along with several gifts – including an expensive ring shaped like her iconic swoosh – it gave her 500 shares of Nike stock. With stock splits over the years, that 500 shares ended up being around 32,000, giving Davidson a $4 million windfall.
Today, she’s retired from designing, choosing to spend most her time working with various charities.
Ideas for What You Can Do with the Nike Swoosh Logo
So, why have we spent so long talking to you about the Nike logo history and the story behind what must be the most famous checkmark in the world?
The answer is simple:
That iconic “swoosh” – which you see on everything from Nike shoes to the sportswear athletes wear on the field or court – could serve as your inspiration to create something new. But there’s a catch. As the official logo of Nike, the “swoosh” is copyrighted, meaning you have to be careful when creating your designs. With that being said, here are a few ideas to get you started.
Nike Jordan Mockups
Michael Jordan may still be the most famous man to ever have been emblazoned in Nike clothing and, thanks to his Air Jordan range of sneakers—which began in 1984 through Nike’s partnership with Michael Jordan—many still see him as the big “Nike name” long after he retired from the court.
So, why not play around with those sneakers?
That’s what you see in the images both above and below this text, with a Creative Market creator named Sophies Concepts doing a great job of putting new spins on classic Air Jordans and the Air Max range. This concept is the use of the Nike logo that showcases the creator’s imagination while still sticking to what we know about the legendary swoosh, and it reflects a business that spans athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories.
Maybe you could do the same – a little tinkering with an established formula.
A Nike-Inspired Typeface
It’s 2024, and the man that many believe to be the heir apparent to Michael Jordan’s crown as the best basketballer of all time – Lebron James – has just signed a deal. A lifetime one, in fact, with the same brand that Jordan has represented for so many years – Nike.
What does that have to do with you as a creator?
As part of that deal, a U.K.-based creative company named Sawdust was given the difficult task of developing a special typeface to represent both James and Nike. The images you see in this section are the result of them accomplishing that task and, hopefully, they’re giving you an idea of your own:
Create a font inspired by the iconic swoosh.
Just drawing from the curves in that swoosh could give any font you create a visual impact that’s reminiscent of a cultural icon while still being its own thing. And, of course, Creative Market is here for you to host and sell any swoosh-inspired creation that comes out of your head.
You Know the Nike Brand Identity…Now Get Designing with this Iconic Logo
The Nike logo is one of the most famous logos in the world. Some might even argue that it’s the most famous. After all, there aren’t many brands that can be recognized by a logo alone, with not even a scrap of text to tell you what that logo represents. Color plays a vital role in logo design and brand differentiation.
All that’s left is for you to get inspired. Logo colors can shape emotional reactions, which is part of what makes iconic branding so memorable and strengthens brand identity.
Whether that’s by the story of Carolyn Davidson and her journey through the world of graphic design, or simply by the amazing logo that she design, that inspiration could be your key to unlocking something special as a designer. As a practical rule, effective logos often use three or fewer colors.
The iconic Nike Swoosh was designed by graphic designer Carolyn Davidson in 1971 while she was a student at Portland State University. She created the logo after being commissioned by Nike co-founder Phil Knight and was initially paid $35 for her work.
The Nike Swoosh was designed to convey movement, speed, and athletic energy. Many also associate its flowing shape with the wing of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, after whom the company is named.
The story of the Nike Swoosh is a reminder that great logo design isn’t about complexity. A simple, memorable mark with a clear concept can become one of the strongest brand assets in the world when paired with consistent branding and storytelling.
After creating the Swoosh, Carolyn Davidson continued working with Nike as a freelance designer for several years. In 1983, Nike honoured her contribution with company shares, a diamond ring featuring the Swoosh, and a special celebration recognising her role in the brand’s history.
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