1. Nike was founded in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports and initially operated as a distributor for the Japanese shoemaker Onitsuka Tiger (now known as Asics). It officially became Nike Inc. in 1971.
2. The company was founded with just $1,200 in the bank. It was created by Bill Bowerman — a track-and-field coach — and Phil Knight, a middle-distance runner from Portland who was enrolled in the University of Oregon.
3. Knight had originally wanted to call the company "Dimension 6." The Nike name comes from the Greek goddess of victory, and it's pronounced "ny'-kee." Nike's first employee, Jeff Johnson, came up with the name.
4. The first Nike shoes were made inside a waffle iron. Bowerman's first eureka moment for footwear innovation came in 1971, when he and his wife were making waffles for breakfast: It sparked an idea for a grooved pattern on the sole of trainers to help athletes grip running tracks. It spawned the "Nike Waffle Trainer," patented in 1974 (at the expense of his wife Barbara's waffle iron), Nike explains on its press site.
5. The Nike swoosh was designed by Portland State University student Carolyn Davidson, for just $35 (just over $200 in today's currency). At a later stage she was given stock that is now worth more than $640,000.
6. The slogan "Just Do It" was inspired by serial killer Gary Gilmore, who said "let's do it" just before he was executed by a firing squad in 1977.
A Short History of McDonald’s
McDonald’s is known as a pioneer in fast food industry and are best known for their strong branding which is known in 119 nations around the world. The Golden Arches are their most recognizable brand closely followed by the clown character called Ronald Mc Donald.
Dick and Mac Mcdonald were two brothers who started the McDonald’s brand in California in 1940 after moving their hot dog stand known as Airdrome from Monrovia Airport to a section of Route 66 at San Bernadino.
After noticing that the hamburgers were their most popular product, the two brothers reinvented their restaurant in 1948 using their Speedee Service System, it was a concept that pioneered the fast food industry by creating a production line of hamburgers that were prepared before being ordered, this was in complete contrast to most diners that only prepared food after the customer had placed their order.