Nike to Get Buzz From 'Art of Speed'

As previously reported, Gawker Publishing launched Gawker Media Contract Publishing. It's first venture is a weblog is for Nike called Art of Speed which will examine 15 short films made by Nike-commissioned filmmakers and artists. I had the good fortune to be interviewed for a story by Nat Ives of the New York Times on this.

Steve Hall, the publisher of Adrants, a blog about the ad industry, said Nike would benefit. "Is Nike going to see a massive increase in revenue and market share from this? No," he said. "Are they going to generate some good feelings and low-level buzz? Yes."

And that's exactly what weblogs are good at - creating a viral-like undertone of awareness that gets linked-fueled until everyone knows about it but before anyone knows everyone knows.