Photo courtesy of 7-Eleven, Inc

 

For nearly a century now, 7-Eleven, one of the largest franchise companies with 71,000 stores across 18 countries, has served billions of customers, from Manilla, Philippines, to Los Angeles, California. Covering all the essentials, from gasoline, coffee and dairy to snack foods, prepared meals and late-night treats—and known for its iconic Slurpee® beverages and Big Gulp® cups—this chain of convenience stores, which are open 24-hours a day, has long been a familiar destination for locals and travelers looking to purchase everyday items and last-minute essentials. In 2018, 7-Eleven’s President and CEO Joe DePinto shared with CStore Decisions, an online source of convenience store news and trends, that a new 7-Eleven store opened somewhere in the world every three-and-a-half hours.

During the pandemic, not only were 7-Eleven products in high demand but stores were also deemed essential businesses and allowed to remain open, helping continue the company’s profitability. Recently, the chain decided to celebrate the 7-Eleven brand in a new way by offering a limited-edition collection of branded products along with fresh, in-store signage to greet and direct customers. The effort will offer store-goers a refreshed experience, while also providing branded apparel in trending styles to fans and shoppers alike. The collaboration reminds end users that even though 7-Eleven has been around for nearly 100 years, it is still cool and hip, too.

To develop the program, 7-Eleven Corp. partnered with Joe Freshgoods, a Chicago-based designer and creative director. Of the collaboration, 7-Eleven states on its website, “We partnered with him because we love his unique blend of brand narrative, historical and cultural references, which allow him to create authentic connections with streetwear lovers from all over the world.” It’s a vision on par with what customers want, too, according to the 2020 Gustavson Brand Trust Index—an annual report published by the researchers at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business in British Columbia, Canada, that focuses on consumer trust, what affects it, what brands succeed at it and which brands are struggling with it. The report surveyed 8,850 consumers across Canada, and found that 90 percent said they look for authenticity from the brands they choose to support.

The new collection, “Brainfreeze Szn,” available on Joe Freshgoods’ website, features a sweatshirt ($45), t-shirt ($38), sweatpants ($90), socks ($18) and a limited-edition gift shop sticker pack ($10). The designs, which draw inspiration from skateboard culture, music and fashion, incorporate both 7-Eleven and JFG’s logos, and follow the color scheme of 7-Eleven’s iconic green and orange hues. Text on some of the items reference 7-Eleven’s selling points, such as “Come See Us! 24hrs a Day,” and the collaboration, including “Joe Freshgoods For 7-Eleven.” The collection launched on May 13, fittingly at 7:11 pm, with a second drop scheduled for late May. In stores, collaboratively branded floor decals remind customers to stand six feet apart as they shop using baskets that bear the collection’s branding.

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Danielle Renda is associate editor of PPB.