QuikTrip Using Holiday Season to Build Awareness

TULSA, Okla. — QuikTrip Corp. is working to get consumers to try its QT Kitchens foodservice offerings and use its mobile app during the holiday season through its "12 Days of Giving" campaign.

During the "12 Days of Giving," the Tulsa-based convenience store chain is giving its mobile app users free ice cream, roller grill products, small coffees and more, reported Tulsa World. 

"When you give free samples out, they're more likely to come in and try something they haven't before," said QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh.

In 2015, the "12 Days of Giving" campaign was built around familiarizing customers with QuikTrip's app. This year, each day the app features a short video of an elf to promote the specific product it is giving away.

On Dec. 15, the elf attempted to lift weights after drinking maple syrup, a popular energy drink for elves, and succeeded after drinking a free Core Power drink instead.

"It's just an opportunity to build customer awareness," Thornbrugh noted.

He added that the elf videos are a way of making the promotion more seasonal and differentiating the campaign from last year while continuing to build on the app's success and drive traffic into stores. Along with the virtual elf, QuikTrip sent a man dressed as an elf to visit stores in each market.

QuikTrip plans to launch mobile ordering in the future, according to Thornbrugh. The company views this option as a way to distinguish itself in the c-store space as well as compete with traditional foodservice outlets like restaurants.

Tulsa-based QuikTrip operates more than 700 convenience stores in 11 states.