7-Eleven Hires Ad Agency

DALLAS -- Looking to lure new customers while holding onto its rich past, 7-Eleven Inc. hired Austin, Texas-based GSD&M to handle the chain's $30 million advertising account.

GSD&M will produce mostly radio and TV spots for the Dallas-based convenience store chain, which operates more than 5,700 convenience stores in North America.

7-Eleven plans to keep its "Oh Thank Heaven for 7-Eleven" slogan. But company officials hope customers will associate it with more than just Slurpees and other snack foods, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Sharing those shelves will be a larger assortment of fresh foods, including deli sandwiches. Part of the reason for the menu change is to entice more women into the store. Right now, about 70 percent of the convenience store's customers are men.

Another focus for the company is a financial services program called Vcom. At the kiosks, which are being introduced in 7-Eleven stores nationwide, customers can cash payroll, government and third-party checks. They will be charged a sliding fee depending on the risk assigned to each transaction.