DALLAS - (Business Wire) 7-Eleven, Inc. reports for duty this July as it joins forces with Paramount Pictures to promote the Aug. 7 release of the new action movie, “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.” At the center of the promotion, starting Wednesday, is a new G.I. JOE-themed true-blue Slurpee® flavor – Liquid Artillery, a summer fruit blend of strawberry, pineapple and lime flavors created by The Coca-Cola Company. Four 22-oz. collectible Slurpee cups with matching character straws feature G.I. JOE team members CONRAD DUKE HOWSER and SNAKE EYES, and COBRA members, BARONESS and STORM SHADOW. An online Slurpee Nation sweepstakes offers a grand-prize trip for two to attend the Los Angeles premiere of the movie.
Besides its frozen blue Slurpee drink, 7-Eleven has added a hot beverage tie-in with a ‘GO JOE’ Cappuccino, mocha-flavored with three natural energy ingredients – taurine, guarana and caffeine. One 12-ounce cup has as much caffeine as an 8-ounce energy drink. Refillable silver and black 16-ounce coffee mugs featuring the G.I. JOE logo also are available while supplies last.
“G.I. JOE is probably the best-known boy’s toy in the world,” said Jay Wilkins, 7-Eleven brand manager for cold beverages. “The movie has a ready-made audience of boys and men who played with G.I. JOE, and we want to bring back some of those great childhood memories by promoting ‘G. I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ with a great, new Slurpee drink, fun cups and straws.”
“This program brings the excitement of the new movie right inside 7-Eleven stores,” commented LeeAnne Stables, executive vice president of worldwide marketing partnerships at Paramount Pictures. “Fans will get an early taste of this big screen update of their favorite characters from this incredible action-packed ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’ film.”
In addition to the four plastic 3D cups, 7-Eleven has created two paper Slurpee cups with movie graphics along with Slurpee Nation reward codes that can be used to enter an online instant-win sweepstakes at www.slurpee.com.
Prizes awarded in the month-long sweepstakes include Xbox 360 Entertainment Systems, G.I. JOE Xbox 360 videogames, Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions and one-year subscriptions to Symantec’s Norton Antivirus and spyware removal program. The sweepstakes for the trip to the Los Angeles movie premiere ends July 20.
Introduced in the United States by Hasbro in 1964, G.I. JOE celebrates its 45-year anniversary this year as the world’s first “action figure.” As enemies, military uniforms and gear changed, the toy line evolved over the years. “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” is a live-action film adaptation based on the 1980s version of the franchise, which set up the conflict between G.I. JOE and COBRA and introduced audiences to characters, like SNAKE EYES, BARONESS and STORM SHADOW.
Directed by Stephen Sommers (“The Mummy”), the cast of “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” includes Sienna Miller, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayons and Dennis Quaid. Set 10 years in the future, the film shows the rise of the COBRA organization and focuses on the creation of an international force of operatives who use high-tech equipment to battle their enemies.
Besides the online sweepstakes and in-store signage, cups and collectibles, 7-Eleven will run radio advertising promoting the “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” campaign in select markets. Assisting 7-Eleven in developing the partnerships and promotions for the G.I. JOE program is FreshWorks, 7-Eleven, Inc.’s advertising and marketing agency, which is a consortium of Omnicom companies.
About 7-Eleven, Inc.
7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses approximately 7,800 7-Eleven® stores in North America. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 36,200 stores in 15 countries. During 2008, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of more than $53.7 billion. For 15 consecutive years 7-Eleven has been listed among Hispanic Magazine’s Hispanic Corporate Top 100 Companies that provide the most opportunities to Hispanics. 7-Eleven is franchising its stores in the U.S., and is expanding through organic growth, acquisitions, and its Business Conversion Program. Find out more online at www.7-Eleven.com.
About “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”
Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment Present, In Association With Hasbro, A di Bonaventura Pictures Production of A Stephen Sommers Film: “G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra” starring Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Byung Hun Lee, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Saïd Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans and Dennis Quaid. The film is directed by Stephen Sommers. The story is by Michael B. Gordon and Stuart Beattie & Stephen Sommers. The screenplay is by Stuart Beattie and David Elliot & Paul Lovett. Based on Hasbro’s G.I. JOE® Characters. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner and Bob Ducsay. The executive producers are Stephen Sommers, David Womark, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Erik Howsam. The director of photography is Mitchell Amundsen. The production designer is Ed Verreaux. The film editors are Bob Ducsay and Jim May. The costume designer is Ellen Mirojnick. The music is composed and conducted by Alan Silvestri. This film has not yet been rated.
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children’s and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, CRANIUM and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. (C) 2009 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5997302&lang=en
7-Eleven, Inc.
Margaret Chabris, 972-828-7285
margaret.chabris@7-11.com
