In an effort to attract younger audiences, 7-Eleven launched an online dating game: The 7 11 Club. The site, with a splendid flash execution, invites visitors to play an online game that would eventually reward them with a “hot Brazilian.” The campaign promotes 7-Eleven’s Brazilian Bold coffee and it’s a part of a larger effort to promote the company’s coffee products.
The game is fun and engaging. Players visit Rio de Janeiro’s exotic 711 Club where they select a (virtual) hot date, then they must choose the correct “pick-up line” from the multiple choice list. Each correct answer earns “mojo” points. Sufficient mojo points earn an invitation to “Wake-Up with a Hot Brazillian” via a downloadable coupon for 7-Eleven’s Brazilian bold coffee and a map to their nearest store location.
Other features of the game include:
- A dance-off game giving players a chance to show their moves by trying to stay in-rhythm with their date
- The opportunity to share “pictures” and brag about the experience to friends
The PR firm behind this campaign is Ketchum, a company with a powerful online presence. What surprises is that 7-Eleven does not promote its “Wake-Up with a Hot Brazillian” campaign with a social media outreach. A short message on 7-Eleven’s Facebook profile is all I could find:
Good Morning – Here’s your chance to wake up with a hot Brazilian, coffee that is, on us! Play the Hot Brazilian game at www.the711club.com (coupon redeemable in the US & Canada only) Good Luck!
No Twitter presence for 7-Eleven yet, and no other significant media coverage for the campaign.
7-Eleven is missing a strong marketing opportunity now. The PR campaign would be more successful if launched simultaneously on Facebook (with a Facebook app), iPhone (with an iPhone app) and Twitter. A press release is simply not enough. So the question is, what is Ketchum waiting for?