Carolyn Davidson was originally paid $35 for designing Nike’s Swoosh.
Davidson produced the logo in 1971 while working as a freelance graphic designer and studying at Portland State University. Nike needed a distinctive mark for its athletic shoes, and the curved shape was chosen for its suggestion of movement.
The modest fee is frequently mentioned because the logo later became one of the most valuable visual symbols in global commerce. The payment reflected a small freelance design assignment at the time, not the later commercial importance of the mark.
Nike later acknowledged Davidson’s contribution more generously. The company gave her Nike stock and a gold-and-diamond ring incorporating the Swoosh. The later gift does not change the original fee, which was $35.