By now maybe you’ve seen the OfficeMax series of videos featuring an improv actor wandering around New York City trying make everyday purchases using just pennies. You can view a sample below.

Check out the entire Penny Pranks series on YouTube

On top of being very entertaining though, these videos are a very good example of what can be done using video. While OfficeMax used a very professional crew and director, the videos have that homemade, user generated feel that is the current expectation. But, what I like most is that the videos support and amplify an big marketing promotion – the back to school for a penny items.

Too often people set out to create the next viral hit with no real thought to how it might support a brand or promote a campaign. It’s tough to get any piece of marketing to truly go viral, most of the time you get lucky, but if you’re going to get lucky, why not make it an effective marketing tool as well!

This series has been viewed several million times and my guess is the benefit to OfficeMax has been tremendous.