Case Study Pages:
Introduction
7-Eleven is the world’s largest operator of convenience stores with more than 35,000 franchised and licensed stores in 17 countries generating annual sales exceeding $36 billion.
7-Eleven Stores Australia Pty Ltd is a wholly Australian-owned family business operating as the independent licensee of 7-Eleven in Australia. The company has also recently entered into a binding agreement with Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd to acquire its retail fuels business. On completion of the acquisition in October 2010 7-Eleven will be the third largest private company operating in Australia, conducting more than 160 million customer transactions per year, with projected sales in excess of $2.84 billion. The acquisition comprises 295 company-owned or leased service stations, primarily located in the metropolitan areas of eastern Australia, taking the number of 7-Eleven stores from 400 to more than 650.
The Slurpee is the world’s most popular frozen carbonated beverage and has become a 7-Eleven icon. Slurpee, first known as the ‘Icee’, was introduced in 7-Eleven stores in 1965 and was originally made using a converted automobile air-conditioner. In 1967 the name Slurpee was coined and it has grown to become one of the world’s most recognisable proprietary brands. The Slurpee has been available in Australia since 1977, when 7-Eleven opened its first store in Oakleigh, Victoria.
In Australia in 2009 more than 10 million cups of Slurpee were purchased, resulting in a lot of BrainFreeze!
As a brand integral to 7-Eleven the Slurpee had enjoyed healthy but plateaued sales over the years. 7-Eleven Australia had conducted very little research, marketing or significant advertising on the product for some time, essentially, because Slurpee sold itself. However, in the mid 2000s, as part of its ‘Project Energise’ program, 7-Eleven Australia embarked upon a campaign to reinvigorate the Slurpee brand by capitalising on Slurpee’s inherent appeal to young people – the next generation of 7-Eleven customers.