Brand Chronicles: 9 Iconic Histories

Founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in 1976, Apple's first product was the Apple I computer, handmade by Wozniak in Jobs' garage. The iconic Apple logo, featuring a bitten apple, symbolizes knowledge and innovation.

Apple

 Originally known as Blue Ribbon Sports, Nike was founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight. The company's famous swoosh logo was designed by a graphic design student for just $35.

Nike

 Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google in 1998 while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University. The name "Google" is a play on the word "googol," a mathematical term for the number 1 followed by 100 zeros.

Google

Started as a barbecue restaurant by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940, McDonald's introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948, which revolutionized the fast-food industry by emphasizing quick service and low prices.

McDonald's

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore. The company's initial name was "Cadabra," but Bezos changed it to "Amazon" after the world's largest river to reflect the vast selection of products available.

Amazon

 Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney founded the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923. Mickey Mouse, created by Walt Disney, made his debut in the cartoon "Steamboat Willie" in 1928.

Disney

 Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in 1975 to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. The company's breakthrough came with the release of MS-DOS in 1981, followed by Windows in 1985.

Microsoft

Founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937, Toyota initially focused on producing automatic looms. The company later ventured into automobiles and introduced the Toyoda Model AA, its first passenger car, in 1936.

Toyota

Founded in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker, Starbucks originally sold coffee beans and equipment. The company's name was inspired by the first mate in Herman Melville's novel "Moby-Dick."

Starbucks