Can You Guess the Athletic Brand From the Logo?

Olivia Cantor

Do you recognize this go-getter brand’s logo?

When it comes to general retail goods and services, Nike still ranks first on the list of the top sports shoe brand in the athletic footwear industry. That's in the U.S., and the ranking was for 2018.

How about this mountaineering fave?

Mountaineers of all kinds swear by their gear made by The North Face brand since it has been in existence since 1968. Mountain climbers of all kinds, especially those who go on Mt. Everest expeditions, have used the brand's outerwear, tents, sleeping bags, coats, and other kinds of climbing equipment during their momentous journeys.

What about this American apparel brand?

A sort of "newbie" in the footwear market industry is Under Armour, even though it has been in existence since 1996. According to marketing experts, it's a leading sporting products supplier, but it still lags behind the more recognizable brands like Nike and Adidas when it comes to athletic footwear.

Volleyball players, can you name this one?

Remember that famous volleyball in the 2000 film, "Cast Away," starring Tom Hanks? Rumor has it that sales of that volleyball brand "spiked" (pun intended!) due to the extra popularity it gained from that movie. Yes, the brand was Wilson.

Can you identify this longtime brand of footwear?

The German-originated shoe brand, Adidas, can count on its old-fashioned design with the iconic three stripes since this is becoming "retro chic" these days. But, of course, the global brand also manufactures their newest top-of-the-line shoes, and they rank among the top three best-selling brands in the global athletic footwear market.

Do you know this English brand?

Lancashire, England, is where the Reebok brand of sports shoes originated, but they now count Boston, Massachusetts, as their headquarters. Since 2005, the brand has been under Adidas as a subsidiary. Nowadays, Reebok is very active in sponsoring the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as well as Les Mills and CrossFit.

Boxers know this one. What’s the brand?

If you’ve ever watched a boxing match on the professional or amateur level, chances are you’ve already seen this Everlast logo. It’s the brand emblazoned on the boxers’ gloves, the garter bands of their shorts, and even the boxing ring sometimes has this logo printed there.

Can you name this skateboarder fave?

Converse is more of a lifestyle brand than an athletic brand. That's why it's a favorite pick among skateboarders who mesh the fun skateboarding sport within their lifestyle. But did you know that they also made military footwear during World War II? Now, that's great service to the country!

Swimmers know this one. What’s the brand?

The Speedo company was actually established in Sydney, Australia, in 1914, but it's now based in Nottingham, England. Globally, though, swimmers swear by the brand's reliability when it comes to manufacturing high-quality swimwear and related accessories for the sport, such as goggles and swimming caps. And as a nod to its Aussie roots, that logo is actually a boomerang, mate!

Athletes who need eyewear use this brand. What is it?

If you need to wear some form of eyeglasses or eyewear for sports, chances are, you've come upon Oakley, since they hold many patents and have been developing specialized eyewear for all types of sports. Their eyewear products are heavily used skiing, snowboarding, tennis, cycling, golfing, and many more sports.

Can you recognize this basketball fixture of a brand?

Spalding is a very versatile manufacturer of sporting goods based in the U.S., but they are perhaps most associated with basketball. That's because their basketballs are used widely in several leagues. But they also produce many kinds of balls and equipment related to other sports, such as American football, soccer, baseball, softball, and volleyball.

When it comes to bags, this brand is an American favorite. What is it?

JanSport is one of the most recognizable global brands for backpacks, and they have an entire line of backpacks for sporting enthusiasts of all types.

What’s this sports-appropriate brand?

Champion manufactures a lot of sports jerseys, and they claim to be the pioneer in putting numbers and athlete’s names on sports jerseys. They are indeed a champion brand in leading that kind of innovation!

Can you name this brand?

That unmistakable wild cat jumping over the letters of the brand is rather easy to guess -- it's a puma, therefore the brand is Puma. The sportswear company was founded in Germany, and its current headquarters are in Bavaria.

Can you name this multinational sneaker brand?

Did you know that New Balance has been around since 1906? This is a multinational company today, and it has its roots in Massachusetts, particularly Boston.

Yoga peeps, can you name this clothing brand?

Lululemon Athletica is a Canadian brand of athletic wear that specializes in yoga apparel. However, the company and its former CEO have been embroiled in several controversies in recent years, as its pricing was also criticized for being too costly. Nonetheless, the brand has a huge following of loyal customers.

If you like good American-made shoes, you can buy this brand. What’s it called?

This brand got its name from the Saucony Creek in Pennsylvania, since it was established there in the late 1890s. Since people were confused about its pronunciation, the company put out an ad campaign that featured how it's supposed to be said: “Sock a knee!”

Many types of board sports enthusiasts know this one particular brand logo. What is it?

If you’re a true-blue surfer, snowboarder or skateboarder, then chances are, you’ve come across Billabong at certain points in your board sport life. But if you’re also the beach bum kind, they also manufacture apparel suited for that purpose.

Surfers know this rad brand! What is it?

Quiksilver is a very friendly brand that caters to laid-back surfers and snowboarders alike. If you’re new to surfing, they also have a wetsuit guide to help you shop for the right one for you.

Winter sports enthusiasts will easily recognize this brand. What is it?

Atomic is one of the brands under the Amer Sports company which is based in Helsinki, Finland. That's why it's no wonder that this specific brand manufactures winter sports equipment and gear, and they cater to the needs of all types of skiers.

What’s this popular shoe brand?

Umbro is a company based in Greater Manchester, England, but it was established in Wilmslow in 1924. Today, it's known to produce sportswear for soccer players, ranging from apparel to footwear.

What’s this brand with which golfers are familiar?

The Japanese brand, Mizuno, was the first to manufacture golf clubs in their country. Today, their brand is widely used worldwide by many golfers, including Tiger Woods when he was just starting out.

Do you recognize this women’s lifestyle brand?

Roxy was initially perceived as a swimwear line dedicated to women, but it was actually built as a spinoff brand to cater to women surfers. Its parent company is Quiksilver which primarily catered to boys and men, so they decided to create a parallel female counterpart.

Sounds like artists wear them, too. What’s this brand?

​Skechers is one of the leading brands that belong to the "athleisure" category, meaning they are manufactured as athletic footwear, but the people who buy them don't necessarily use them for athletic activities. And for manufacturers, that's totally fine, because it gives more leeway for their shoes to be flexible in many types of activities. Thus, they fall in between the lifestyle brands and the athletic brands.

MMA fans will also be familiar with this brand. What is it?

From the logo alone, you'd know that Black Mamba Elite is a brand that specializes in being swift and powerful, just like the snake emblazoned on their logo. But their philosophy also has an acronym for MAMBA, which they say stands for "mind above matter beats anything," like a motto for all MMA players using this brand.

Familiar with this shoe brand? Name it!

Did you know that Asics is actually an acronym which stands for “anima sana in corpore sano,” a Latin phrase that means "healthy soul in a healthy body.” And it’s also a Japanese brand that got its humble start in Kobe, where its founder is from.

This famous logo is from which brand?

That unmistakable polo player mounted on a horse logo defined what polo shirts ought to be like, thanks to designer Ralph Lauren. The logo used to be small, emblazoned usually on the upper left chest area of a collared polo shirt, but this logo has since grown larger, which is what the brand prefers now.

They make great shoes for mountain climbing. What’s the brand?

Merrell started out as a company that specialized in hiking boots in the early '80s. Today, they're very popular for other kinds of footwear used in trail running. They also manufacture outerwear apparel for men, women, and even kids.

Can you guess which European sports brands this is?

Yes, that is indeed a rooster in its logo, and Le Coq Sportif is indeed French. It was established in 1882, and today the company acts as the official supplier of sports uniforms of certain teams in basketball, football/soccer, rugby, boxing, cycling, and tennis.

Do you know this footwear brand?

The American company, Timberland, sells outdoor apparel, but they are more famous for selling outdoor footwear. For people who love spending time outdoors for leisurely activities or sports activities, Timberland carries many items to address specific outdoor needs of men, women, and children.

Tennis players know this one by heart. What is it?

When It comes to tennis equipment and golf gear, Dunlop is one of the most recognizable brands around. Tennis fans might be familiar with that D logo inside an arrow since that’s emblazoned in tennis balls played in major competitions, as well as in the bags, accessories, and rackets used by athletes.

When it comes to American outerwear, what longtime brand comes to mind when you see this logo?

Since Columbia Sportswear specializes in what they call outerwear, it’s no surprise that they sell hiking gear, fishing, and hunting clothes. They also have great trail running gear as well as casual wear for daily use.

This brand knows cheerleaders well. What is it?

Nfinity focuses on women’s sporting apparel, especially those involved in volleyball, basketball, and cheerleading. They design shoes and apparel for these sports, as well as great bags to carry stuff from the fields to the lockers. Go, Nfinity, go go Nfinity!

This brand specializes in winter sports apparel. What is it?

Arc’Teryx is a Canadian brand that specializes in winter-themed apparel. People can choose which types based on the activities they prefer, such as Alpinism and climbing, skiing and snowboarding, or hiking and trekking.

It may sound like it’s made from an animal, but it’s not. What is this brand?

That unmistakable Crocs clogs also stepped over the line to address sporty needs. That’s why they also created a line of sports sandals and sports clogs for those who don’t really need a full-on sneaker for their sporting needs.

Can you feel this shoe brand?

Fila began as an Italian brand since it was created in 1911 in Biella, Italy, and named after its founder, Giansevero Fila. But it’s now owned by Koreans, and their base is in Seoul.

Car racers might know this one. What is this brand?

Kappa manufactures sportswear for those who are into car racing, sailing, fencing, and martial arts. But this is also a recognizable brand for those who are into team sports, such as football or soccer, volleyball, and basketball.

If you’re going near a boat, wear this! What’s this brand?

The logo of Sperry Top-Sider looks like a boat’s sail because their primary product is boat shoes. Its inventor was inspired to design a non-slip boat shoe after he slipped and fell overboard! But for branding purposes, the company is now known mainly as Sperry.

What’s the name of this running-focused brand?

Brooks is a brand with which runners are familiar since that’s the crowd to which it caters. Brooks also focuses on developing great sports bras for women, and even have different types for low impact, medium impact, and high impact use.

Bet you didn’t know this brand also made sporty gear. What’s the brand?

If you think Coleman is solely about making kerosene lamps and camping gear, think again. They have a line called Coleman Powersports that has ATVs, scooters, go-karts, dirt bikes, and even boat motors. Have fun riding in the wild!

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Image: Klaus Vedfelt / DigitalVision / Getty Images & Wiki Commons by Rich Witamin

About This Quiz

Athletic brands are very much recognizable the world over.

During the early 1900s -- and even earlier -- many of these brands were already in the market, but they had yet to embark on a cooler kind of "selling technique." At a time when brand advertisements were very much about hard selling, there were times that people got turned off by these styles.

Ever since the '80s, '90s and up to the present time, the testimonials rather played us a bit. Of course, there are some brands that paid athletes to speak for their products, and this is actually the default mode most times in this day and age. Perhaps before they became popular, the athletes really had their own brand loyalty to the products and actually used them. But it's a different thing if you get paid to use a certain brand, just so you can give a great testimonial about it. 

Regardless of whether you believe in testimonials from athletes or not, that's fine. We're sure you have your own brand loyalties anyway, and now it's time to put that to the test! See if you can name these brand logos of athletic stuff. Go!

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