7-Eleven ‘Simpsons’ Campaign Sweeps Pro Awards Agency FreshWorks Helps Company Nab Best Overall Plus Five Categories
Dallas, TX (Oct. 31, 2008)– 7-Eleven, Inc. continues to take bows as the trophies and awards kept coming Wednesday during PROMO magazine’s PRO Awards event recognizing outstanding promotion marketing campaigns in the world.
The Dallas-based convenience retailer and FreshWorks, an Omnicom agency marketing and advertising consortium, captured the coveted Best Overall Pro Award for the 2007 “Simpsons Movie Kwik-E-Mart Experience” during the event held at the Museum of Science & Industry in Chicago.
The experiential campaign called attention to 7-Eleven® stores’ fresh foods and proprietary beverages by promoting Twentieth Century Fox “The Simpsons Movie.” A dozen 7-Eleven stores in North America were transformed overnight into Kwik-E-Marts, the fictional convenience store made famous in The Simpsons TV show, which went to the big screen in July 2007.
“This campaign was nothing short of phenomenal for our stores and customers,” said 7-Eleven President and CEO Joe DePinto. “We hit the sweet spot with consumers, some of whom traveled across state lines to join the fun at 7-Eleven-turned-Kwik-E-Mart stores. It’s a prime example of how 7-Eleven understands its customers and their passion points. Through our marketing, store transformation and products, we delivered in a way that delighted them. I am very proud of the great work done by our marketing team, store operators and Franchisees”
It was a reverse product-placement play. 7-Eleven contracted with suppliers to create products found only in the cartoon program. They wanted to bring the show to life and let customers actually purchase fictional food, like Squishee-named Slurpee® drinks, KrustyO’s cereal, Buzz Cola and Sprinklicious® donuts, of which 1 million were sold that month.
Before winning the crystal 2008 PRO Award, FreshWorks and 7-Eleven took the top spot in five other categories:
- Best Use of Event Marketing using More than Five Venues
- Best Sponsorship or Tie-In Campaign
- Best Campaign Generating Brand Awareness and Trial Recruitment
- Best Idea or Concept
- Best Retail/Co-Marketing Campaign
- Best Use of P-O-P
“We are very honored to be recognized with FreshWorks as the company that created the most ingenious idea in 2007,” said Rita Bargerhuff, 7-Eleven’s marketing vice president. “The campaign took months and months of preparation, but it was worth it. We entertained the public, attracted new customers and increased sales of fresh food, which was our goal.”
Now in its 18th year, the PRO Awards are the gold standard of recognition for those who measure themselves against the industry’s best and brightest promotion marketers in the world. Organizers say this year's finalists are an elite collection of agencies and companies doing some of the best work in promotional marketing.
Other trophies and honors for 7-Eleven’s and FreshWorks’ month-long Simpsons promotion include Effies, Reggies, Addys and Golden Lion Promo awards from Cannes, France.
About 7 Eleven, Inc.
7 Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses approximately 7,600 7-Eleven® stores in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 34,800 stores in 17 countries. During 2007, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $46.6 billion. Named the #1 Franchise Opportunity for 2008 by Entrepreneur magazine, 7-Eleven is franchising virtually all of its stores in the U.S., and is expanding through its Business Conversion Program, acquisitions, building new and leasing existing properties. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.
contact:
Margaret Chabris
7-Eleven, Inc.
972-828-7285
margaret.chabri@7-11.com