{{Short description|American interactive website}} {{Infobox website | name = Elf Yourself | logo = Elf Yourself screenshot.jpg | logocaption = Elf Yourself early logo (pictured during JibJab's authorship) | screenshot = | caption = | url = [http://www.ElfYourself.com Elf Yourself website] | type = Christmas | registration = none | language = English | num_users = | content_license = free for users | owner = Office Depot | author = {{unbulleted list|Evolution Bureau (2006-2007)|"Toy. (2006-2007)|JibJab (2008-2011)|Oddcast (2012-present)}} | editor = {{unbulleted list|JibJab (2009-2011)|Oddcast (2011-present)}} | launch_date = {{Start date and age|2006|12|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Elf Yourself page snapshot |url=http://www.elfyourself.com/ |date=December 5, 2006 |publisher=Wayback Machine |access-date=May 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201000000/http://www.elfyourself.com/ |archive-date=1 December 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref> <!--[Needs exact launch date] {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}}--> | revenue = | current_status = Holiday season only | footnotes = }}
'''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.<ref name="ClickZ 2">{{cite news|url=http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/1692028/officemax-adds-social-element-elf-yourself-2009|title=OfficeMax Adds Social Element to Elf Yourself 2009|last=Quenqua|first=Douglas|date=November 19, 2009|newspaper=ClickZ|access-date=May 30, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Adland">{{cite book|last=Othmer|first=James P.|title=Adland |year=2009|publisher=Random House Digital, Inc. |isbn=978-0385524964|pages=243–250|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mxlqaqRhUvwC&q=%22Elf+Yourself%22&pg=PA247}}</ref><ref name="ClickZ 3" /> Globally, over two billion elves have been created since the application was first introduced in 2006.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Office Depot, Inc. Elf Yourself® App Creates One Billion Elves and Adds New Themes to Spread Holiday Cheer |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151104005115/en/Office-Depot-Elf-Yourself%C2%AE-App-Creates-Billion |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001033056/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151104005115/en/Office-Depot-Elf-Yourself%C2%AE-App-Creates-Billion |archive-date=2024-10-01 |access-date=2025-01-10 |language=en |url-status=live }}</ref> The video and website were created by Evolution Bureau (EVB), in collaboration with New York company "Toy<big>'''.'''</big>" for Office Max's holiday season advertising campaign.<ref name="Creativity">{{cite news|url=http://creativity-online.com/news/jason-zada-leaves-evb/130544|title=Jason Zada Leaves EVB|last=Aditham|first=Kiran|date=August 26, 2008|newspaper=Creativity Magazine|access-date=May 29, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017064513/http://creativity-online.com/news/jason-zada-leaves-evb/130544|archive-date=October 17, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="ClickZ 1">{{cite news|url=http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/1701853/dancing-elf-video-site-back-second-year|title=Dancing Elf Video Site Back for a Second Year|last=Nelson|first=Matthew G.|date=November 26, 2007|newspaper=ClickZ|access-date=May 29, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Adweek">{{cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/profile-jason-zada-95679|title=Jason Zada Profile|last=Parpis|first=Eleftheria|date=May 8, 2008|newspaper=Adweek|access-date=May 29, 2012}}</ref>
The ''Elf Yourself'' website and advertising campaign first launched for the Christmas holiday season in early December 12, 2006,<ref name="ClickZ 1" /> and has returned each subsequent season. After being contracted by OfficeMax to create multiple websites for their holiday campaign, "Toy<big>'''.'''</big>"<ref name="Virginian-Pilot">{{cite news|last=Colleen Long Associated Press |title=Elf yourself with holiday eCards |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2006/12/elf-yourself-holiday-ecards |access-date=May 31, 2012 |newspaper=Virginian-Pilot |date=December 15, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017080849/http://hamptonroads.com/2006/12/elf-yourself-holiday-ecards |archive-date=October 17, 2013 }}</ref> contracted with Evolution Bureau to create a suitable holiday-themed website and application.<ref name="ClickZ 1"/><ref name="Adweek"/><ref name="Adweek 3">{{cite news|last=Morrissey|first=Brian|title=Shops Strive for a New Formula|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/shops-strive-new-formula-96250#1|access-date=May 30, 2012|newspaper=Adweek|date=June 30, 2008}}</ref> Evolution Bureau then developed the ''Elf Yourself'' application for use with the OfficeMax holiday marketing campaign. The original release featured only one elf,<ref name="ClickZ 1"/> portrayed by Danielle Bárcena, and received 200 hits a second.<ref name="Virginian-Pilot"/> In later releases, additional elves were added to the application and viewers could upload different images for each elf.<ref name="ClickZ 1"/> Still later, social media applications were added,<ref name="Brand Republic"/> included those allowing viewers to save and/or download the films they had created through visiting the website.<ref name="ClickZ 2"/><ref name="ClickZ 3"/> In 2008, OfficeMax partnered with JibJab and added a registration requirement in order to use the site. Traffic dropped to 56 million.<ref name="ClickZ 2"/> JibJab worked to "enhance the performance and distribution of the videos."<ref name="ClickZ 2"/><ref name="ClickZ 3">{{cite news|last=Burns|first=Enid|title=Elves and Mistletoe Put Viral Campaigns in the Holiday Spirit|url=http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/1698834/elves-mistletoe-put-viral-campaigns-holiday-spirit|access-date=May 30, 2012|newspaper=ClickZ|date=November 19, 2008}}</ref>
In 2009, the campaign being run by JibJab, the registration requirement was dropped, and social elements were added.<ref name="Brand Republic">{{cite news|last=Whitehead|first=Jennifer|title=Online elf craze is back, with added social networking goodness|url=http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/965571/Online-elf-craze-back-added-social-networking-goodness/|access-date=May 30, 2012|newspaper=Brand Republic|date=November 10, 2009}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.grandcentralmarketing.com/officemax-elf-yourself/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405042806/http://www.grandcentralmarketing.com/officemax-elf-yourself/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-04-05|title=OfficeMax "Elf Yourself" PR and Viral Video|date=2011-04-05|access-date=2018-12-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.grandcentralmarketing.com/officemax-elf-yourself/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409181653/http://www.grandcentralmarketing.com/officemax-elf-yourself/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-04-09|title=OfficeMax "Elf Yourself" PR and Viral Video|date=2012-04-09|access-date=2018-12-02}}</ref>
==Reception== ''Brand Republic'' reported on the insertion of personal images, stating "while the idea has been widely used in other applications, OfficeMax's version has become an internet phenomenon."<ref name="Brand Republic"/> ''Adweek'' reported "''Elf Yourself'' has hit the bull's-eye of viral success: It has seeped into pop culture. Broadcasters at several local stations, ''The Today Show'' and ''Good Morning America'' created their own dancing holiday greeting for viewers."<ref name="Adweek 2">{{cite news|last=Morrissey|first=Brian|title=The Rules of Viral Web Success, at Least for Now|url=http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising/rules-viral-web-success-least-now-91573|access-date=May 30, 2012|newspaper=Adweek|date=January 7, 2008}}</ref> In ''Social Media Judo'', it was pointed out that while OfficeMax hoped ''Elf Yourself'' would "warm up"<ref name="Social Media Judo"/> its corporate image, "the overwhelming majority of customers who saw Office Max's popular marketing campaign gave credit to the company's top competitors."<ref name="Social Media Judo">{{cite book|author1=Chris Aarons |author2=Geoff Nelson |author3=Nick White |title=Social Media Judo|year=2011|publisher=Dog Ear Publishing|isbn=978-1608448852|pages=146–156|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G8Id2LayAOAC&q=%22Elf+Yourself%22&pg=PA147}}</ref> In addressing the creation of the 20 microsites created for OfficeMax, ''Adland'' called ''Elf Yourself'' "a strange, corny, yet enormously successful website."<ref name="Adland"/>
==Awards and nominations== * 2007, won Retail Advertising and Marketing Association RACies Award for 'Interactive Online Campaign'<ref name="OfficeMax 1">{{cite web|title=Awards and Recognition, 2007-2012|url=http://about.officemax.com/html/officemax_awards_recog.shtml|publisher=OfficeMax|access-date=May 29, 2012|archive-date=June 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615003936/http://about.officemax.com/html/officemax_awards_recog.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> * 2008, won three Ad:Tech Awards: 'Best Word of Mouth Marketing Campaign', 'Best User Defined Experience', and 'Best of Show'.<ref name="Adweek"/><ref name="Madison Avenue Journal">{{cite news|last=Beck|first=Cam|title=Office Max's Elf Yourself: ad:tech People's Choice Awards Finalist|url=http://www.madisonavenuejournal.com/2008/04/07/office_maxs_elf_yourself/|access-date=May 31, 2012|newspaper=Madison Avenue Journal|date=April 7, 2008|archive-date=October 31, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031182501/http://www.madisonavenuejournal.com/2008/04/07/office_maxs_elf_yourself/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ad:tech 2008 award winners |url=http://www.ad-tech.com/awards/win_2008.asp |publisher=ad:tech |access-date=May 31, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605014712/http://www.ad-tech.com/awards/win_2008.asp |archive-date=June 5, 2012 }}</ref> * 2008, won SXSW Interactive 'Award for Web Amusement'.<ref name="Adweek"/> * 2008, won Retail Advertising and Marketing Association RACies Award for 'Interactive Online Campaign'<ref name="OfficeMax 1"/>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.elfyourself.com/}} (active only during holiday season)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elf This}} Category:Marketing websites Category:Advertising campaigns Category:American advertising slogans Category:2006 quotations Category:Internet memes introduced in 2006 Category:Internet memes introduced from the United States