Heard at the Shopper Insights Conference (Part 1)


One of the many excellent speakers at IIR's Shopper Insights conference was Bob Thacker, SVP of Marketing and Advertising at Office Max. While his presentation wasn't very insights centric, he did make a number of excellent points. Some of the highlights:


  • “People relate to companies like people”

  • “Look before you leap, but leap!”

  • Office Max is trying to make news not ads.

  • “You have to learn from the mistakes of others, can’t afford to make them all yourself”

  • They need to get $5 of value for every dollar they spend

  • “If you don’t have big bucks, have big ideas”

  • Office Max is trying to transform the lousy state of the American workplace and add some personalization - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC0Nsba1fWQ

  • The OMX brand itself had no personality until the rubber band ball and now their involvement in reality tv and cause marketing (see below)

http://officemax.mediaroom.com/index.php/adaymadebetter
http://www.worldslargestthings.com/press/newbigball.htm
http://officemax.mediaroom.com/index.php/press_releases/377



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