Get your basketball on

Interesting new website from (people think) Nike.

The challenge that I imagine that was set to their agency was... 'How can we build up public interest in the fact that Michael Jordan is being inducted in to the basketball hall of fame without being chest-beating and schmaltzy about it?'.

The solution... rather than spending money advertising the fact that your greatest brand advocate has a moment of glory... promote the ramblings of a discontented clinger on to Michael who claims to have been instrumental to his success.

Personally I think that the solution is funny and interesting... although not sure how many more pairs of Michael Jordan basketball trainers will be sold as a result of this.... although who knows! I'm sure the agency that created it would argue that in increasing salience of Michael Jordan again, you're elongating the life-span of the Michael Jordan franchise and selling more trainers longer-term. Maybe... but I bet they're not charging for their services based on any metrics like this.

Also... in the UK I believe that you do actually need to declare that you are funding activity to promote yourself... through whatever devious means in the online environment. Not sure about the rules in the US, but are they risking the wrath of the public when / if they find out who funded it?

http://www.getyourbasketballon.com