# Hispanics and the Nike swoosh

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hispanics-and-the-nike-swoosh/42333>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 22, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hispanics-and-the-nike-swoosh/42333 "2000-11-22T18:41:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hispanics-and-the-nike-swoosh/42333/1 "2000-11-22T18:41:54Z")

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I live in an “up and coming” neighborhood in Denver, Colorado, that is home to a sizeable, albiet shrinking, Hispanic population (Mexican-Americans and Mexican nationals, mainly).

The past three or four months, I’ve been noticing that many Hispanics have been placing _very_ large Nike swoosh logos on the back windows of their cars and trucks. It’s not something that Anglos take part in – just Hispanics. The Hispanics I’ve asked about this respond with either “I dunno” or “you’re a stereotyping bigot!”

Still, I’m wondering – why are so many Hispanics slapping Nike logos on their vehicles? How did the Nike logo suddenly become an integral part of Hispanic “car culture?”

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2000, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hispanics-and-the-nike-swoosh/42333/2 "2000-11-22T18:54:22Z")

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I think the technically correct term for them is “sweeps,” and companies have been using them as logos for a long time. I don’t think Nike was the first.

As to why Hispanics like them, I can’t answer–but, hey, if it’s good for the rest of Corporate America. . . .

BTW, remember those “crown” air fresheners. . . .