When choosing sporting goods, such as sneakers, many are guided by their own feelings of comfort. After all, shoes should not only be stylish, but also ergonomic and comfortable. Some people prefer clothes and sneakers from a certain manufacturer.
Nike and Adidas are giants that have captured the niche of sports equipment and accessories. It's no surprise that sneakers from both brands are the most popular. But despite the contribution that Adidas made to the development of equipment, it is Nike that is considered the most sports brand, the most recognizable among young people. This is confirmed by Forbes data - in the United States, Nike occupies 95% of the market for sports equipment for basketball. To find out the reason for Nike's popularity, you need to plunge into the history of the brands and learn about the advantages and disadvantages of sports shoes from both manufacturers.
About the company and Nike sneakers
Every invention significant to humanity began with a crazy idea, a dream.An ordinary Oregon student, Phil Knight, really wanted to make his mark on history. A young Stanford University graduate borrowed a few hundred dollars from his father and changed the world of sports equipment and accessories forever.
Interesting! Even among the label's devoted fans, there are few people who know that the Nike logo is called the Swoosh.
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A little history
The creators of Nike met in the late 50s of the last century at the University of Oregon, USA. Bill Bowerman taught athletics, and Phil Knight attended the section and was a middle-distance runner. Two young men who passionately loved sports instantly found a common language.
Bowerman is a legendary figure in American sports. He raised more than one generation of future Olympic champions. And in 1972 he even headed the coaching staff of the US national team.
While studying at the university, Phil wrote and defended a course paper on the topic “Are shoes made in Japan capable of doing to German sneakers what Asian video cameras did to European ones?” We can say that the young graduate student predetermined his future.
After graduation, Phil went on a trip. During a trip around the world, he stopped in the Japanese city of Kobe, where he saw Tiger sneakers produced by the local Onitsuka Co (the modern ASICS brand). The young graduate student was amazed at how the manufacturer managed to combine low cost and excellent quality. Phil managed to get a meeting with the head of the company, at which he agreed on the supply of shoes to the western part of the United States.
The young man sent the first batch of sneakers to his former coach, hoping to get Bill Bowerman's approval. The result exceeded all expectations - he not only ordered sneakers, but also invited Phil to become his partner.So, in January 1974, Blue Ribbon Sport was born, which later turned into Nike.
Reference. The Nike brand name is derived from the Greek goddess Nike. Therefore, you need to pronounce “Nika” correctly, not “Nike”.
The reasons for the brand’s success are a competent strategy and properly organized sales of products. So, Bill took charge of creating the design, and Phil was looking for buyers. By 1966, the revenue of the newly created company had grown from $8,000 to $20,000. The success of the brand was confirmed at the 1976 Olympic Games, when most of the participants chose Nike sneakers.
By the end of the 90s, Nike's revenue was already several billion, and the company itself took a leading position in the sports equipment market.
Popular lines of sneakers, their features and advantages
Throughout the history of the brand, designers have actively developed and implemented new ideas, embodied in various series:
- Air Max. The most popular and famous line, presented in 1979. The designers made a real breakthrough by replacing the usual foam for the sole with an air cushion. This allowed for amazing cushioning in the sneaker. Now you can find various Air Max models: from stylish urban ones with genuine leather inserts to shoes with seamless threads that provide the best fit to the foot.
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- Cortez. A running line that appeared in 1972. The advantage of the shoe is its unusual multi-layer foam sole. Thanks to this, movements during running become soft. Interestingly, throughout the history of its existence, the design of sneakers has remained almost unchanged. Only genuine leather has been replaced with high-quality nylon and suede.
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- Air Jordan. A legendary line of shoes that can be seen on the feet of all basketball players. A distinctive feature of the sneakers is a flat sole, decorated with a large logo, a high top and a long tongue. The shoes are suitable for long hours of jogging, training in the gym, and long walks.
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- Air Dunk. The shoe was originally intended for basketball players, but was later redesigned for boarders. Outwardly, they are no different from basketball sneakers, but the insole has been replaced with a more ergonomic one, the tongue has been provided with a soft lining, and the standard laces have been replaced with wear-resistant ones.
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Reference. It was in Nike Cortez sneakers that the main character of the movie “Forrest Gump” completed multi-day marathons.
About the company and Adidas sneakers
Adidas is a German brand founded in 1948 by Adolf Dassler. The development of the company can be called dramatic, because the beginning of Adidas was laid by a quarrel between the brothers Adolf and Rudolph, because of which their joint brainchild, the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory, collapsed.
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A little history
The Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory was opened back in 1924. Soon the designers managed to make a breakthrough in the manufacture of shoes for football players. This made it possible to conclude numerous contracts for the supply of sneakers and increase the company's profits.
It is unknown what the future fate of the factory would have been, but the Second World War intervened. It is worth adding that both brothers actively supported Hitler’s ideas, and therefore went to the front. However, a year later, Adolf returned to make shoes for soldiers, and Rudolf deserted during the advance of the Red Army.
The factory was destroyed, so the company had to be revived from scratch.At the same time, the brothers quarrel strongly and each go their separate ways. Adolf founded the Addas company - the progenitor of Adidas, Rudolf - the Ruda brand, later renamed Puma.
In the mid-twentieth century, Addas began to increase production, and the factory produced not only shoes, but also bags, clothes and other accessories. The brand actively supports sporting events and often sponsors the Olympic Games.
Reference. Interestingly, at the Olympic Games, athletes wearing Adidas earned 75 gold, more than 80 silver and almost 90 bronze medals. The record has not yet been broken.
After Adolf's death in 1978, his wife and daughter took over the company. But the ladies couldn’t cope, so they sold 80% of the shares for only 440 million marks. So the brand ceased to be a family business, and Adidas began to lose its position in the global market. And only after a new change of ownership did its growth begin to increase - the management decided to actively develop its own retail network, sponsor various events, and enter into contracts with athletes.
Now the company owns several brands: Salomon, Reebok, CCM, Maxfli and others.
Popular lines
Over its long history, the company has released many versions of sneakers, but only a few have achieved cult status:
- SuperStar. A legendary model designed for basketball.
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- Gazelle. They are distinguished by increased wear resistance and a memorable design - the upper of the shoes is made of suede in bright colors, and there are signature white stripes on the sides.
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- Climacool. An ideal option for the hot season - the upper part of the sneakers resembles mesh, which ensures excellent air circulation.
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- Yeezy Boost 350 V2. Bright shoes with a catchy, daring design. It is noteworthy that American rapper Kanye West actively participated in the development.
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- NMD. The sneakers have a laconic shape, are distinguished by a soft sole made using Boost technology and an ergonomic seamless upper. The shoes are so comfortable that they allow the owner to feel as if they were wearing slippers.
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- Futurecraft 4D. They are unusual in that they are made entirely on a 3D printer. At the same time, the designers managed to maintain a recognizable style and signature quality. The shoes are comfortable, soft, great for hiking, running, and working out in the gym.
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Reference. Interestingly, the famous Adidas logo - three stripes - was bought for $1,800 and a couple of bottles of whiskey from the Finnish company Karhu, whose products it decorated.
Both Adidas and Nike produce quality sports products, each with an army of fans. Therefore, it is difficult to say which company is better. Every year, brands release new models and introduce modern technologies, but the choice always remains with the buyer.
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