Comments on: OfficeMax Goes Viral with Penny Pranks http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/ Building Intimate Business Relationships Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:54:53 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: admin http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/comment-page-1/#comment-1880 admin Sat, 27 Jun 2009 04:51:33 +0000 http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/#comment-1880 @Scott – Thanks very much for your input, I certainly appreciate your contribution to the discussion. OMX’s videos are doing pretty well. They’re getting a solid amount of views, they’re funny, and they seem to be inspiring some decent discussion. Your insight regarding the notion that there has to be some type of branding is spot on, and I agree, but I can’t help but think that there was a slightly more subtle way than to turn it into a full-fledged advertisement there at the end of the videos. The videos will be released to television spots on August 4th so it will be interesting to see their reception. “Back to School” is essentially OfficeMax’s Christmas so I know they’re hoping the Penny Pranks are as successful as the Elf Yourself campaign. @Scott – Thanks very much for your input, I certainly appreciate your contribution to the discussion. OMX’s videos are doing pretty well. They’re getting a solid amount of views, they’re funny, and they seem to be inspiring some decent discussion.

Your insight regarding the notion that there has to be some type of branding is spot on, and I agree, but I can’t help but think that there was a slightly more subtle way than to turn it into a full-fledged advertisement there at the end of the videos.

The videos will be released to television spots on August 4th so it will be interesting to see their reception. “Back to School” is essentially OfficeMax’s Christmas so I know they’re hoping the Penny Pranks are as successful as the Elf Yourself campaign.

]]> By: Ryan Stephens Marketing » Does Apple need a Community Evangelist? http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/comment-page-1/#comment-431 Ryan Stephens Marketing » Does Apple need a Community Evangelist? Sat, 13 Sep 2008 22:59:18 +0000 http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/#comment-431 [...] couple of weeks, and thought it would make interesting conversation fodder. I was quick to judge OfficeMax’s viral video campaign (and hold true to my sentiment) despite the campaign’s great success, but it is tough to question [...] [...] couple of weeks, and thought it would make interesting conversation fodder. I was quick to judge OfficeMax’s viral video campaign (and hold true to my sentiment) despite the campaign’s great success, but it is tough to question [...]

]]> By: Angel Aviles-McClinton http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/comment-page-1/#comment-408 Angel Aviles-McClinton Mon, 25 Aug 2008 01:59:24 +0000 http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/#comment-408 I think we all have to realize that no one is ever going to please EVERYONE. Interactive media has just made that fact all the more obvious. People were miffed when the popcorn videos DIDN'T admit to being ads. In my opinion, Office Max executed a full on viral campaign and did a great job. My question is this: Does the ad for all the penny stuff date the video? When I go looking for my penny crayons in 6 months, will they be there? Hmm... I think we all have to realize that no one is ever going to please EVERYONE. Interactive media has just made that fact all the more obvious.

People were miffed when the popcorn videos DIDN’T admit to being ads.

In my opinion, Office Max executed a full on viral campaign and did a great job. My question is this: Does the ad for all the penny stuff date the video? When I go looking for my penny crayons in 6 months, will they be there? Hmm…

]]> By: Scott Monty http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/comment-page-1/#comment-353 Scott Monty Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:36:20 +0000 http://ryanstephensmarketing.com/blog/officemax-goes-viral-with-penny-pranks/#comment-353 I don't know that I'd call myself a viral video expert, but I do have an instinct for what will and won't fly. The series from Office Max seems to be doing fairly well, with the used car prank video pulling in over 350,000 views in just a week. One of the challenges of viral videos is striking the balance between entertainment and marketing. If you're doing this to get the word out about your brand, there has to be some type of branding there. Have you ever watched a TV commercial that has nothing to do with whatever it is they're advertising? You end up scratching your head at the end of it, saying "Huh?" And can you recall any product that was being promoted by such roundabout marketing? Neither can I. Office Max has a history of doing great viral marketing - just look at their "Elf Yourself" site from the past two years. In December 2006, they opened the site and then promoted it heavily when TBS aired the Will Ferrell movie "Elf." They repeated it again in December of 2007 and it was a smash hit. I think the Office Max marketing team (and their agency) have a good handle on viral. I don’t know that I’d call myself a viral video expert, but I do have an instinct for what will and won’t fly. The series from Office Max seems to be doing fairly well, with the used car prank video pulling in over 350,000 views in just a week.

One of the challenges of viral videos is striking the balance between entertainment and marketing. If you’re doing this to get the word out about your brand, there has to be some type of branding there. Have you ever watched a TV commercial that has nothing to do with whatever it is they’re advertising? You end up scratching your head at the end of it, saying “Huh?” And can you recall any product that was being promoted by such roundabout marketing? Neither can I.

Office Max has a history of doing great viral marketing – just look at their “Elf Yourself” site from the past two years. In December 2006, they opened the site and then promoted it heavily when TBS aired the Will Ferrell movie “Elf.” They repeated it again in December of 2007 and it was a smash hit. I think the Office Max marketing team (and their agency) have a good handle on viral.

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