The article started off a little strange with "it was a just an elaborate publicity stunt", but makes some really good points further into the article. It does seem that by not explaining more about the science and just what Felix was attempting created a 'flash in the pan' type event. I think more people saw it as an elaborate stunt rather than anything scientific, relegating it to passing conversation at a dinner table than the history books. It will be interesting in 5 years to see if anyone remembers this.
Of course it's a marketing play. Why else would a company willingly commit large sums of money to a completely unrelated business venture. And anyone who was watching the feed before and after the jump will know they did do plenty of back-story on Joe Kittinger and his original mission.