7-Eleven to Give Shark Week Fans Much to Chomp On
IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven Inc. is taking a bite out of Discovery Channel's 28th annual Shark Week with an eight-week promotion around the annual TV event. Participating 7-Eleven convenience stores will offer numerous kinds of "shark swag" for Shark Week, which runs from Sunday, June 26 through Sunday, July 3.
The offerings will include Slurpee shark straws; 28-ounce shark bite cups; 32-ounce fishbowl cups; "Stay Hot" shark-themed coffee cups; Blue Raspberry-flavored Slurpee drinks; and 7-Select Blue Gummi Sharks.
The c-store chain will also offer a Shark Week-themed doughnut, as CSNews Online previously reported. The doughnut features Blue Raspberry Slurpee-flavored icing, topped with blue sugar crystals to give it an ice-like crunch.
To help build the feeding frenzy, 7-Eleven has created snack combinations and weekly offers on popular food and beverages. The collaboration with Discovery Channel and its "Shark 'n' Awe" Shark Week programming continues the yearlong Slurpee Fiftee celebration, the retailer added.
"We were looking for a fun way to kick off summer, to showcase our food and beverage variety and continue our Slurpee Fiftee celebration. Like the Slurpee drink, Shark Week is a highly social event, with friends getting together to watch and share their favorite content on social media," said Laura Gordon, 7-Eleven's vice president of marketing and brand innovation. "We are creating a feeding frenzy among Shark Week fans with unique shark products they can only find at 7-Eleven, and great food and beverage offers that will satisfy their snack attack."
During Shark Week, 7-Eleven will also promote a meal deal that includes two slices of pizza and a Super Big Gulp fountain drink for $3.
"We are thrilled to be collaborating with 7-Eleven on Discovery's longest-running franchise, Shark Week," said Lauren Gastwirth, vice president, client and brand partnerships, ad sales, Discovery Communications. "With such a loyal audience and large fan base, Shark Week is TV's must-see summer event and we are excited to help drive brand awareness for 7-Eleven and bring our passionate fans from across the country into their stores."
7-Eleven will run television spots on the Discovery Channel during Shark Week and sponsor "Shark After Dark," the hit late-night talk show hosted by director/actor Eli Roth. The half-hour show, which runs June 26-30, highlights the night's programming and teases the following day's lineup with shark experts, fans and celebrity guests.
"Shark fans can really make waves at their shark-viewing party with Blue Raspberry Slurpee drinks and our exclusive 7-Eleven shark straws and cups," Gordon said. "And to make a real shark statement, they can take and post Slurpee selfies sporting their favorite shark straw in front of special shark-themed displays at participating stores."