• The Wall Street Journal (by subscription), Monday, August 7, 2006 12:16 PM

Most back-to-school ads are targeted to kids, so it's not surprising that marketers who have relied on TV ads are now turning to the Internet to grab their attention. One retailer, OfficeMax, has created an entertainment program for both the Web and TV that weaves product plugs into the story line. The program will air Aug. 17 on Walt Disney's ABC Family cable channel; shortly thereafter, it will be posted on Google's Google Video, along with extra content from the show. "Kids in middle school and high school tend to buy things differently," says Bob Thacker, OfficeMax's svp of marketing. "These kids are online. They live online. And their television viewing is very specialized," he says. Other back-to-school marketers, including Staples and JCPenney, are also trying new Web-related ideas. Staples offers an online contest with prizes, including a shopping spree. Penney's is tweaking its back-to-school TV spots for online use. Web surfers can stop certain Penney commercials they see online and click to buy the outfits worn by an actor in the ad. "The old days of just buying TV spots and running a few pages on magazines are over," says Michael Cape, JCPenney's vp of brand advertising.

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