From an Idea to Nike: How Marketing Made Nike a Global Success

by Lowey Bundy Sichol, C.S. Jennings (Illustrator)

From an Idea to Nike is a fully-illustrated look into how Nike stepped up its sneaker game to become the most popular athletic brand in the world. Humorous black & white illustrations throughout.

Ever wonder how Nike became the athletics empire it is today? From an Idea to Nike digs into the marketing campaigns and strategy that turned this running-shoe company into the outfitter for many athletes as well as the iconic American brand. With infographics and engaging visuals throughout, this behind-the-scenes look into the historical and business side of Nike will be an invaluable resource for kids interested in what makes this business run.
Find out where the name Nike came from and how the famous swoosh became the signature logo.
Learn about the company's first marketing campaign with a star athlete. (Hint: It wasn’t Michael Jordan!) 
Explore the ways Nike expanded marketing from running to basketball, soccer, golf, and beyond!

Genres: Nonfiction, Childrens, Middle Grade

128 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2019

About the author

Lowey Bundy Sichol (her last name rhymes with pickle) is an author, speaker, MBA, and leading expert in teaching business and entrepreneurship to kids. Her nonfiction series, FROM AN IDEA TO..., takes young readers (age 8-12) into the world of entrepreneurship through the true stories of how our favorite companies came to be. (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019)

Lowey is also the creator and host of IDEA Tank for Kids, a “Shark Tank” inspired competition for kids that received national media attention in 2019 and will expand to new markets in 2020. www.IdeaTankForKids.com)

Lowey received an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a BA from Hamilton College where she played varsity softball and women’s rugby. An avid athlete, Lowey’s spends her free time playing sports, coaching youth basketball and softball, and along the shores of Lake Michigan with husband, three children, and two big dogs.

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells how Phil Knight began his business with a simple idea for a better running shoe and how it developed into the massive global company it is today. Focusing on the marketing and the innovative concepts that built the Nike empire, this story explains how a business can use good branding, endorsements, and an understanding of the needs of their customers in order to succeed.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It is written for young children, so many business concepts that a child wouldn’t know like “Revenue,” Investments,” or “Board of Directors” are explained with definitions for the bigger words. There are also “Fun Fact” boxes within the text that give extra tidbits of information about how the Nike company was built.

There are funny anecdotes about how the company received its name, designed the classic Swoosh logo, and developed its rapport with athletes, then began reaching out to pros for endorsement deals.

I was interested to see that the book includes the history of Nike's endorsement deals with athletes who later embarrassed the company by using illegal steroids (Lance Armstrong) or whose personal lives were less than stellar (Tiger Woods). The book briefly states how Nike dealt with those situations and weathered the storms, but it doesn't go into details. However, there is no mention of the current Nike controversy with Colin Kaepernick and his inflammatory political demonstrations. (Bad move there, Nike. You would think that a good business plan would include staying away from politics, because you always end up offending half your customers. But it's not mentioned in this book.) There is also an entire chapter about Tiger Woods, and I got bored reading about how many championships he won wearing Nike shoes, and Nike shirts, and using Nike golf balls.

I would recommend this book to any child ages 7-12. It’s fun and interesting, and kept my attention! I also liked the funny illustrations and drawings included on every page!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Media Masters Publicity in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Mrs Mommy Booknerd http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, honest and interesting...From An Idea books are the kind of books that create young entrepreneurs and inventors. It clearly illustrates the road to success, the good and the bad. Kids will be inspired to believe that anything is truly possible. They will also learn that things will not just be handed to them. Rather things they really want will take work, will be earned and that in the end all that hard work and perseverance will pay off! I love this series SO much!

[Two BookWorms Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is what I really like about these books: they give actual business information and definitions in a way that even young readers can understand. These books answer questions like:

Why do companies go public – and what does this even mean?

Why do stock prices go up and down?

What is market research?

For the full review: https://twobookwormsblog.wordpress.co...

[Reshamad · Rating 5 out of 5]

From an idea to Nike is a chapter book publication, part of a new series on introducing business to kids aged 9+. The focus of this book is on how Nike became the biggest athletic show company in the world. From an idea to Nike looks at Nike’s history, the growth of the business and what makes Nike an attractive brand to people.

What was exciting about this book, was the focus on business concepts and in this book, the focus was on Marketing. While there are books that are in the “Who was/ What was” series, this series is a wonderful concept in bringing biographies and business thinking together. In From an idea to Nike, introduces the readers to Phil Knight’s journey into building a company around a shoe company.

But how do you go from an “idea” to a successful company? How do you take an athletic shoe and make it a household name for athletic shoes? That is where the concepts of Marketing are introduced. With simple language, a manner of story telling approach almost, the author introduces concepts of grass-root marketing , patents, market research and innovation.

True to the other books in this series, From an idea to Nike is a great read for middle graders to understand the fundamentals of business. Highly recommend this series starting with Disney and Nike. We are looking for the next two books on Google and Lego!

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone knows the Nike shoe, but do you know how Nike got its start? Do you know how the Nike swoosh came about? Do you know who Phil Knight is? All of your questions will be answered when you read this cool history of the story behind Nike and all of its failures and successes.

Young readers, especially those who have an entrepreneur spirit, will enjoy reading about the journey of Phil Knight and how he got his start in the shoe business geared towards athletes. Not only that, young readers will learn business terms such as marketing, research, sales costs and so much more. Inside, readers will learn about the various athletes and their achievements while wearing the famous Nike shoe, designed just for them.

Parents and teachers can use this guide as a tool for a better understanding of following your dream and to utilize failures as a way to learn and succeed. Readers will also be engaged in Fun Facts, a Timeline for Nike and Endorsements sections found within this handy guide. Fun illustrations help describe the journey of Phil Knight and the Nike brand.

[Elizabeth Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and my kids (ages 11 and 13) were captivated by it as well. I cannot say enough good things about this educational book or how excited it has made me for this new series for upper elementary to middle grade readers. Read my review here: https://agoodreid.blogspot.com/2019/0...

[Joseph Crowther · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great introduction to business and entrepreneurship for kids, this time with a sports twist. The first half of the book is sort of like Shoe Dog for kids, the second half explains how Nike expanded beyond a specialized running sneaker company and into the largest shoe company in the world. This series of books is like a combination of the Who Was series and a business case study using terms and concepts that kids can understand. I researched the author and she actually writes case studies for some of the top business schools so she knows what she's talking about. So cool!

[Suzanne Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of a series of business and entrepreneurial books for middle school students, From an Idea to Nike is part biography of majority owner Phil Knight and part timeline of how Nike was launched. Knight, who grew up in Oregon, was a great track athlete. After graduating college, Knight knew that he wanted to create a running shoe company but had neither the capitol or the credentials. Starting first as Blue Ribbon Sports and working with a Japanese shoe company (which would later become ASICS), Knight began selling the light-weight and comfortable shoes at track meets and road races. Runners loved this new style. Knight approached his former college track coach Bill Bowerman to buy into the business and Bowerman soon started creating shoe concepts for manufacturing. After several years, Knight and the Japanese manufacturer parted ways. Knight knew it was the right time to create a new company and Nike was born. Right from the beginning, Knight and Bowerman knew that finding athletes to endorse would be their approach to marketing and it proved to be a gold mine of an idea. Steve “Pre” Fontaine, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are only a small portion of famous athletes who were paid by Nike to wear their apparel, furthering the brand’s famous Swoosh and status. This slim nonfiction book is deceptively informative, well-written and extremely interesting. “Fun Facts” are interspersed throughout the chapters and business concepts and terminology are carefully and appropriately explained for its reading audience. With other titles in the series including Disney, Google and Lego, this is a perfect addition for collections looking to update their inventors and inventions sections.

Grades 4 and up.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would be shocked if at some point in your life you didn’t have a pair of Nike shoes in your house. I can’t tell you the number of pairs we have purchased over the years with three kids in the house. Nike was always our go-to brand for tennis shoes as well as athletic clothing. Having a Nike store close to our home helped, but it was also the brand we looked for first when going to shoe stores.

I knew a bit of the Nike story because our family watched the movie, “Prefontaine”. The movie is based on the life of Steve Prefontaine, the renowned runner whose life was cut tragically short due to a car accident. The start-up of Nike has a connection to Steve Prefontaine and his coach at Oregon. As a side note, I highly recommend the movie.

Have you ever wondered how Nike created it’s famous swoosh logo or even how it got the name, Nike? How much work went into the creation of the best shoes for specific athletes? How did a simple marketing campaign change the entire trajectory of a company? All these questions and more are explained in this book. The story of Nike is quite fascinating and kids will be impressed by the perseverance of Phil Knight and his belief that his idea could work.

Kids are also introduced into what it takes to run a company with key words explained throughout the book. The illustrations are silly and yet offer a simple explanation for bigger concept ideas. Quotes and fun fact bubbles throughout the book offer more tidbits of information for kids.

The story of Nike is an impressive one and kids and adults will find the history of the company to be quite interesting. Next time you are out buying tennis shoes, you many just look at a pair of Nikes a little differently.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Turning an idea into a physical or virtual product, generating demand, and figuring out distribution? At least part of the answer relates to "How Marketing Made Nike a Global Success." Yes, marketing. Strategies regarding what styles and functions consumers prefer, what media and other advertising outlets they frequent and trust, maybe especially developing unique and distinctive branding that moves and evolves with the times to stay trendy.

Line drawings and easy reader text help an interested elementary school reader (or anyone) follow idea to product events over the seventy-nine years from 1938 (who knew? I didn't) to 2017. You then can double-check your newly acquired Nike knowledge with the 4-page "Timeline of Nike" at the back.

The legendary account of Carolyn Davidson and the Nike swoosh logo is major design school lore. I haven't checked the stats, but I'd guess it's one of the top ten most recognizable logos anywhere at any time. No need to worry, because design school instructors reassured us Carolyn eventually got compensated as she deserved.

This very short, large-print, easy reader book can't be comprehensive, but I'd like more information on how Nike became a global brand, a household buzzword, but there may not have been space or incentive. However, I appreciate the list of top ten endorsement deals, a ten item bibliography plus two pages of chapter-by-chapter (yes, this is a chapter book) notes that include print and digital sources used in writing From an Idea to Nike.

What's next? "From an Idea to Google," so you know I'm staying tuned to this series.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. I am dying for more books on economics and business to put in our school library. It is an alarming embarrassment how few are available. On the upside this series has picked entrepreneurial ideas kids may care about - LEGO, Disney, Nike, and packed the books with cartoon illustrations, fun facts, sidebars and lots of positive energy. On the downside they have some of the sheen of info-mercials. There are far too many inspirational quotes from the company leader. The cartoons make Phil Knight, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods look like drugged out serial killers. I wish the author offered more realistic balance - when the pros and cons of a company going public are discussed the need for profitability to pay dividends and keep share prices up is never mentioned! Where is the Capital Triangle when you need it? Who it is who buys stock is never discussed. Too few Americans understand that a major driver of the stock market are retirement funds and pension plans, not wealthy individuals. I was disappointed that none of the controversy about Nike’s labor and sourcing practices made it into the book. I understand that these books rely on cooperation from their subjects but some mention of the increasing importance of having business practices consistent with brand identity feels necessary. I did welcome that the text points out times Phil Knight didn’t recognize good ideas when he saw them - the company name, the swoosh, the idea of advertising. This opens the door for kids to understand a successful brand isn’t the result of one genius guy - there needs to be a team and give and take of ideas along with a strong vision and leadership.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I chose this book:
I find that middle-grade non-fiction is quite enlightening. You get enough information to understand a topic, and you get it quickly. When a review copy was offered in exchange for an honest review, I was quick to accept.

Review

As the title indicates, From an Idea to Nike lays out how the Nike company developed. Non-spoiler alert: It's named after the Greek goddess of victory.

Short chapters, appealing graphics, and fun fact inserts combine to make an appealing read for middle graders, while vocabulary definitions in the margins aid quick comprehension. Readers are introduced to Phil Knight, the entrepreneur who is responsible for the creation of Nike. He was a young athlete who conceived of a new running shoe as part of a business class. This biography/business history follows Knight as he travels to Japan, becomes a seller of Tiger shoes, breaks with Tiger, and forms Nike in partnership with his former track coach. In addition to the history, the basics of marketing are outlined, from the difference between sales and profit to the advantages and disadvantages of endorsement deals. Nike fans will likely also enjoy learning the history behind the Air Jordans and the Just do it! campaign. A timeline of Nike and its top endorsement deals are included in the back matter.

A fast and informative read, From an Idea to Nike would be a great fit for middle-graders who are interested in Nike, biographies, business, and pop culture. Even kids marginally interested in any of these topics will likely find the book to be accessible and engaging.

[Erin Penn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of a series aimed at showing a business developing from an idea to mature company, in this case the development of the shoe phenomenon Nike. Topics covered included product development, marketing, celebrity endorsement, changing with the market, and expanding to an international market. A chapter is devoted to making Nike shoes overseas, but more of a high-view of dealing with business leaders - not the ground workers and related controversies there.

While it read well on its own for "entertainment", I think this book for children would better as part of a directed study explaining business. I have an MBA and think the topics are well presented, with even some of the normal sparkle of "you will succeed if you try" worn off when discussing one of the failed celebrity endorsements and having to change with the market. Also covered is changing from privately owned to publicly owned.

Be prepared to sit down and discuss the material with the children. Try to find YouTube videos showing the historic marketing commercials discussed. I think this will be especially relevant for children interested in clothing, running, and sports.

Full disclosure: Received for unbiased review

[Tam Newell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting series...”From an Idea to...”. As the series title suggest, this book started with Phil Knight and his track coach having an idea about track shoes. It proceeded with a fascinating tale spanning almost 60 years of Nike. Reminds me of the Who Was series, but this has a lot more added facts about business. For example, when the story talks about Nike going public, there are sidebars and added information explaining what going public means — even simplifying it into selling bricks of a building. All the business vocabulary is explained (sometimes too much) in kid terms. The story itself would be interesting for upper elementary kiddos. However, this is probably more of a junior high book with all the business jargon and explanations thrown in it.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great inside view of the development of a brand and the pieces that pulled it together to being one of the biggest names in shoes. The facts, the vocabulary, the failures, and the huge wins are all here for the fact loving students in your schools!

One of my jobs in the last few years was to introduce students to careers they may have in their future. This series of books has been helpful as it shows businesses they know from the beginning when they were just a dream by a single or pair of individuals. I love that this one pairs the dreamer with his college professor. Learning about the back story is an interesting way to learn business, marketing, sales, and entrepeneurship.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun way to learn business topics. The book moved along with the story of the Nike corporation, and there were plenty of business principles illustrated and explained as the story was told. A peppering of fun facts about sports, athletes and history were also perfect for trivia lovers.

[Marcie · Rating 4 out of 5]

From an Idea to Nike is a great entrepreneurial story about Nike's beginnings to its present-day status as a global behemoth. The book's format is also particularly conducive to educational learning.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written nonfiction at a middle grade level.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book is the best👍🏻

[CaitlinTobin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun little non-fiction book for elementary aged readers. The information is grouped in easy to read chunks. There are interesting side facts, and the business vocabulary is integrated well.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad to read Phil Knight credits his mother's advice for his success!

[Vihaan Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story about how NIKE started from a small firm and became the biggest shoe company in the world! (Plus lots of fun facts along the way!)

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beginning with the background of founder Phil Knight, this slim volume covers the development of Nike from its first inspiration to its current status. Throughout the book, there are illustrations, definitions of key terms, fun facts, and quotes from Knight. Along with detailing the beginning of Knight's idea for a shoe company (written up for a college assignment), there are explanations of the company's early partnership and then going out on their own and the employees choosing the "swoosh" symbol and the name Nike, their celebrity endorsements, and their effort to stay ahead in the industry. Back matter includes a time line, a list of Nike's top endorsement deals, extensive source notes, and a bibliography. Highly recommended for readers with an interest in sports and successful entrepreneurs.

P.S. Did you know that the "Just Do It" campaign is now "part of America's Story at the Smithsonian National Museum?