Dive Brief:
- 7-Eleven has added several new items to its 7Collection merchandise line as part of a partnership with video gaming brand The Tetris Company, according to a Wednesday announcement.
- The launch includes 7-Eleven- and Tetris-branded t-shirts, hoodies, hats, stickers, keychains and tote bags, which are all available for a limited time on the convenience retailer’s 7Collection website.
- 7Collection has become a mainstay within 7-Eleven’s broader promotions ever since the convenience retailer debuted the merchandise line back in August 2022.
Dive Insight:
Since last summer, 7-Eleven’s clothing and merchandise launches have included a golf-inspired line of shirts, hats, socks and golf balls; birthday and holiday-themed lines of gift bags, hats and ornaments; and a spring line of sweatshirts and hats.
While 7-Eleven’s partnership with Tetris aims to celebrate the gaming company’s 40th anniversary, the convenience retailer had been eyeing the video game industry to support its promotions well before this year.
In late 2022, shortly after 7-Eleven launched its Gulp Media retail media platform, two of the company’s top marketing and loyalty executives said they planned to tap into “fandoms and cultural relevance” to grow its media network. That, they said, included the gaming segment.
Beyond the merchandise launch, 7-Eleven and Tetris have created a Tetris handheld gaming device that’s shaped like a 7-Eleven Slurpee. The companies are giving 20,000 of these out to randomly selected 7-Eleven loyalty members who buy specific products. The handheld devices were designed and manufactured by gaming firm My Arcade.
"We know our customers are passionate gaming enthusiasts who also appreciate a healthy dose of nostalgia – making this collaboration with Tetris a perfect fit," 7-Eleven’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer Marissa Jarratt said in the announcement.
Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven operates, franchises and/or licenses more than 13,000 convenience stores in the U.S. and Canada.
