OfficeMax Keeps 'Elf Yourself' Relevant

OfficeMax expanded the social and mobile reach of its legendary "Elf Yourself" campaign during its seventh holiday run in 2012.The retailer tapped YouNow.com to create a dedicated "Elf Yourself Live" channel that superimposed elf hats and ears onto the images of participants during live broadcasts. YouNow.com is a digital network that lets users broadcast live and interact with audiences in real time; viewer votes determine how long participants are allowed to remain on the air. The network claims 15 million-plus members.A corresponding sweepstakes running in seven weekly flights from Nov. 11 through Dec. 31 awarded a grand-prize $3,000 store gift card. Four secondary winners each week received $250 cards. Consumers entered by completing a form after broadcasting live via the YouNow.com/officemax channel.On the mobile front, a dedicated application for Apple devices launched in mid-December to "help holiday revelers create, share and view Elf Yourself eGreetings on-the-go," according to a media release. (A Dec. 9 post on OfficeMax's Facebook page from the NextTopApp tracking service asserted that Elf Yourself had become one of the top 10 free iPhone entertainment apps.)OfficeMax tapped New York City-based Oddcast Inc. to produce this year's Elf Yourself mobile app and website. (This year, elfyourself.com redirected to an Oddcast site.) The website boasted five customizable videos that participants could customize and share via email, Facebook or Twitter, as well as embed onto websites or blogs.The retailer rewarded participants with a promotional code redeemable at in-store Impress print centers for a free calendar featuring their personalized elves. Facebook updates and circular features touted the offer, which was designed to entice additional purchases of elf-personalized holiday gifts from an expanded selection that included smartphone cases, water bottles, ornaments, puzzles and playing cards.Through most of December, the retailer also offered personalized greeting cards at half price (supporting with a Dec. 19 Facebook update) and $50 off a $200 order, the latter via promotional code. Stanchion signs positioned near ImPress centers plugged the offer. Meanwhile, ceiling banners depicting the chain's elves touted the department's various services.The Elf Yourself campaign also hit the streets this holiday season. Forty elves escorted a candy train float through the Nov. 22 "McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade" in Chicago, distributing "winter survival kits" comprising lip balm, hand warmers and hot chocolate mix. (The chain is headquartered in nearby Naperville, IL.)In 2010, OfficeMax placed an Elf Yourself float in the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade" in New York. (See "OfficeMax Continues …")

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