How did the 'us-against-the-world' mentality contribute to Nike's success?

The 'us-against-the-world' mentality played a significant role in Nike's success. It provided the company with the strength to face numerous challenges over the years. This mindset allowed them to turn adversities into opportunities. For instance, when their main Japanese supplier, Onitsuka, declared them in breach of contract for launching their own Nike shoes, this could have been a devastating blow. However, the 'us-against-the-world' mentality helped them to survive and thrive.

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Our us-against-the-world story gave us the strength not only to face many challenges over the years, but to take those challenges and turn them on their head. In 1972, we hit a major roadblock—our main Japanese supplier, Onitsuka, the company that had been manufacturing Tiger shoes for Blue Ribbon, declared us in breach of contract for bringing out our own Nike shoes. This was a potentially devastating blow. Could the company survive?

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Shoe Dog - Anecdotes From Nike

The iconic Nike sporting goods company started over 50 years ago as a ‘crazy idea’ in the mind of a young runner in Oregon. Shoe Dog is Phil Knight’s ...

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