The Myth of the Nike Swoosh

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The name Nike came after the design of the swoosh, which by the way, also was not called a swoosh yet. So it's literally not inspired by the Greek goddess of victory. The factory is calling and they're like, Hey, shoes are just about ready. We just got to put the sides on them. What do you want? Carolyn makes more than $2 an hour, but for this project, she was paid $35. She said she spent way more than 17 and a half hours coming up with some price to charge.

Nike — it’s perhaps the most iconic and most prolific brand of the modern era. On any given day, swooshes adorn the feet of more people on earth than any other footwear company — by a long shot.

If you read Shoe Dog or watched Air, you may think you know its history. But Shoe Dog ends in 1980, and Air… well let’s just say it’s an enjoyable piece of fiction. And it turns out (as always) that the real story is filled with far more drama, twists and business lessons than either of those works.

We’ve been wanting to cover Nike for a long time, and thanks to our LPs who voted to choose this episode it’s finally here. So lace up your Vaporflys, Air Maxes, Dunks or Jordans (or your Monarchs, hey we don’t judge), head out for a long run or walk and enjoy!

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