A really big shoe on Broadway

Nike’s new dial-a-shoe billboard in Times Square is not just the ticket for exhibitionists with a shoe fetish, but it also demonstrates an excellent grasp of the promotional power of new media.

Nike for several years has operated the Nike iD website, where visitors can customize a pair of $100-plus athletic shoes by choosing different color schemes for the laces, the leather and the all-important swoosh.

Now, Nike has thoughtfully made it possible for well-heeled sneaker freaks in Manhattan to call an 800-number where they can customize shoes in real time on a 27-foot-high billboard over Times Square. The image of the shoe will be updated real time with the customer’s preferences.

So, Nike gets great exposure on the White Way, lots of free word of mouth and might even sell some more shoes.