• by Tanya Gazdik , August 18, 2010

It's time to outfit the kiddies to go back to school and OfficeMax is partnering with Payless for a second year for a cross-promotion offering two of the essentials: school supplies and shoes.

By visiting an OfficeMax or Payless retail location, shoppers will receive a coupon at checkout to use at the other respective retail store. Through Sept. 6, OfficeMax stores will print a coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase at Payless that will be valid until Sept. 27. Alternatively, through Sept. 11, Payless retail stores will print a coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase at OfficeMax, which will be valid until Sept. 18.

The Naperville, Ill.-based office supplies company is launching a marketing campaign including a new back-to-school supplies website, localized promotions and strategic partnerships to support parents, teachers and students.

National TV spots including "Good-bye" by Chicago ad agency The Escape Pod and "Astronaut" by OfficeMax's brand team highlight the emotion around back-to-school season and new opportunities that lie ahead for each child. The spots feature a new back-to-school promotion each week and are supported by OfficeMax's official back-to-school website.

The website offers tools including a zip code search for weekly local promotions and recommended school supply lists for each grade level. To assist shoppers in-store, OfficeMax retail locations feature school-supply lists on free-standing displays.

OfficeMax also created a special back-to-school tab on its Facebook fan page that includes a "Can you make the grade?" quiz that allows viewers to test their grade school knowledge or give out kid-centric status stickers such as TMI, Cat Lady or The PA System to friends.

Many families and educators approach this time of the year with mixed emotions ranging from excitement to anxiety as they try and get everything together by the first day of school, says Ryan Vero, EVP and chief merchandising officer for OfficeMax. "Our strategy is to celebrate the start of a new year and to dispel a common perception that once the deals and the inventory are gone, they are gone for the season," Vero says. "We have a wide assortment of products and competitive weekly local promotions throughout the back-to-school shopping season that parents and teachers can take advantage of when they are ready to shop."