The logo of Nike is a simple tick mark. It is extremely simple but a survey found that it is the fourth most recognizable logo in the United States. Certainly, most people recognize the simple checkmark logo as Nike not only in the US but also in the world. The most recognizable logo must be the most valuable logo—then, how much is Nike logo worth?
But before talking about money, let’s first briefly discover a thing or two about the Nike logo.
A Student Designed the Nike Logo for $35
Nike started its business originally as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) in 1964. Initially, BRS imported Onitsuka Tiger brand shoes from Japan. BRS then changed its name to Nike, Inc. in 1971 to create its own shoe brand, when it also adopted the logo. Amazingly, a student—not a famous designer—worked on the logo.
Carolyn Davidson, a then-student at Portland State University in Oregon, met one of the founders of Nike, Phil Knight who was then an accounting teacher at the university. He came to know she needed some funds to take oil painting class and offered her freelance work for BRS. She initially created charts and graphs for the company.
When BRS decided to launch its own shoe brand, Knight asked Davidson to design a logo for the brand. He requested a shoe logo that conveyed motion. Finally she came up with the tick-mark-like logo—the Swoosh—initially accompanied with the word “Nike.” She received $35 for her work. Using an inflation calculator, $35 in 1971 is equivalent to about $256 in 2022.
Nike Logo (Minor) Changed Several Times to Be Minimalist Today
The logo underwent some changes several times. Mostly the change was made to the font and position of the company name “Nike” alongside the Swoosh. You may also remember the time when the Swoosh became red and white. (Still fresh in my memory but that was in the late 1980s to 1990s!)
Today, most of Nike products have a solo Swoosh without the word Nike. And it is mostly in black or while but can be in any other colors. It is as simple as it gets.
How Much Is Nike Logo Worth? | Nike’s Net Worth
So how much is Nike Logo worth? Answering this question is a little bit tricky as there are many definitions to value a brand logo. One of the ways to value a brand logo is calculating the net worth of the brand. Net worth is a company’s total asset minus all its liabilities. So the value of the Nike logo can be Nike’s net worth. Following this way, let’s calculate Nike’s net worth.
According to Nike’s Reports Fiscal 2022 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results, Nike’s total assets for the quarter ending May 31, 2022 were $40.321 billion. And its liabilities were $25.040 billion.
Nike’s Net Worth (May 31, 2022) = $40.321 billion − $25.040 billion = $15.281 billion
One of the possible answers to the question “How much is Nike logo worth?” is Nike logo is worth $15.281 billion (as of May 31, 2022).
Conclusion: Nike Logo Is Worth $15 Billion
Nike is the largest athletic brand in the world, with a revenue over $40 billion for 2021. It is also one of the world’s top 100 brands based on the value. One will encounter Nike products almost everywhere in the world, ranging from footwear to a soccer ball, whether at an everyday gym or at an athletic stadium. Surely, it is one of the most recognizable logos in the world.
This simple but incredible logo was designed by a then-university student, Carolyn Davidson. She designed it for only $35 or $256 in 2022 dollars. The logo well expresses the swift motion of sports, arguably symbolizing the wing of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.
Although the fame of Nike logo can be priceless, the Swoosh must be part of the success of Nike. The impression it conveys—motion, victory or whatever it is—keeps attracting consumers. Defining the value of a company’s logo as its net worth, the Nike logo is worth $15.281 billion as of May 31, 2022.