Global InformationElf Yourself information
 Elf yourself early logo (pictured during JibJab's authorship) | |
Type of site | Christmas |
|---|---|
| Available in | English |
| Owner | Office Depot |
| Created by |
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| Editor |
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| URL | Elf Yourself website |
| Registration | none |
| Launched | December 2006[1] |
| Current status | Holiday season only |
Content license | free for users |
Elf Yourself is an American interactive website where visitors upload faces of themselves or their friends and have the option to post the created video to other sites or save it as a personalized mini-film.[2][3][4] Globally, over two billion elves have been created since the application was first introduced in 2006.[5] The video and website were created by Evolution Bureau (EVB), in collaboration with New York company "Toy." for Office Max's holiday season advertising campaign.[6][7][8]
The Elf Yourself website and advertising campaign first launched for the Christmas holiday season in early December 12, 2006,[7] and has returned each subsequent season. After being contracted by OfficeMax to create multiple websites for their holiday campaign, "Toy."[9] contracted with Evolution Bureau to create a suitable holiday-themed website and application.[7][8][10] Evolution Bureau then developed the Elf Yourself application for use with the OfficeMax holiday marketing campaign. The original release featured only one elf,[7] portrayed by Danielle Bárcena, and received 200 hits a second.[9] In later releases, additional elves were added to the application and viewers could upload different images for each elf.[7] Still later, social media applications were added,[11] included those allowing viewers to save and/or download the films they had created through visiting the website.[2][4] In 2008, OfficeMax partnered with JibJab and added a registration requirement in order to use the site. Traffic dropped to 56 million.[2] JibJab worked to "enhance the performance and distribution of the videos."[2][4]
In 2009, the campaign being run by JibJab, the registration requirement was dropped, and social elements were added.[11] Also in 2009, to further promote the Elf Yourself website, OfficeMax contracted with Tribal DDB and Grand Central Marketing to create a flash mob of 400 dancers dressed in Elf Yourself costumes.[12][13]
- ^ "Elf Yourself page snapshot". Wayback Machine. December 5, 2006. Archived from the original on 1 December 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Quenqua, Douglas (November 19, 2009). "OfficeMax Adds Social Element to Elf Yourself 2009". ClickZ. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
- ^ Othmer, James P. (2009). Adland. Random House Digital, Inc. pp. 243–250. ISBN 978-0385524964.
- ^ a b c Burns, Enid (November 19, 2008). "Elves and Mistletoe Put Viral Campaigns in the Holiday Spirit". ClickZ. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
- ^ With more than 480 million users in 215 countries, and has been downloaded over 65 million times since transitioning from an online platform to smartphone app in 2012. See:Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151104005115/en/Office-Depot-Elf-Yourself%C2%AE-App-Creates-Billion
- ^ Aditham, Kiran (August 26, 2008). "Jason Zada Leaves EVB". Creativity Magazine. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e Nelson, Matthew G. (November 26, 2007). "Dancing Elf Video Site Back for a Second Year". ClickZ. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ a b Parpis, Eleftheria (May 8, 2008). "Jason Zada Profile". Adweek. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ a b Colleen Long Associated Press (December 15, 2008). "Elf yourself with holiday eCards". Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
- ^ Morrissey, Brian (June 30, 2008). "Shops Strive for a New Formula". Adweek. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
- ^ a b Whitehead, Jennifer (November 10, 2009). "Online elf craze is back, with added social networking goodness". Brand Republic. Retrieved May 30, 2012.
- ^ "OfficeMax "Elf Yourself" PR and Viral Video". 2011-04-05. Archived from the original on 2011-04-05. Retrieved 2018-12-02.
- ^ "OfficeMax "Elf Yourself" PR and Viral Video". 2012-04-09. Archived from the original on 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2018-12-02.