The Nike Swoosh and a Graphic Design Student's Legacy
By Sarah Clark
Sarah.clark@graphicdesignschoolreview.com
Graphic Design School Review Columnist
The graphic designer credited with creating Nike's famous Swoosh logo was a young design student with limited experience. The story shows that you don't necessarily need to have years of design experience to come up with an enduring logo.
As a graphic design student, you might sometimes feel that your hard work won’t create a major global impact. Many graphic design courses use the Nike Swoosh as an example of an effective, well-known, corporate icon. In fact, the Swoosh was created by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland State University.
A Simple Marketing Collateral Gig
Davidson met Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, at Portland State University in 1971. At the time, Knight was teaching an accounting class at the university to supplement his income from a small sporting goods store he owned. Knight wanted some marketing collateral material designed for his business, and so he hired Davidson to sketch a few logos.
According to Nike's account of the story, Knight wasn't initially that keen on Davidson's graphic design. He adopted the logo anyway, saying "I don't love it, but it will grow on me." Davidson charged Knight $35 for the design.
An Enduring Graphic Design Legacy
As we now know, Davidson's Swoosh has been an integral and lasting part of Nike's marketing strategy. The Swoosh appears on each Nike shoe, rendering it part of a legacy that represents strength, speed, and quality.
Fortunately, Davidson received additional compensation from Knight over the years. After graduation, she worked on many of Nike's marketing campaigns and earned some company stock. With the growing number of small businesses and startup organizations looking for help with their brand identities, your graphic design school portfolio assignment could hold the same potential as Davidson’s project for Nike.
Sources:
Nike.com
About the AuthorSarah Clark is a freelance writer specializing in education and career development.
