Think you could drive halfway across the country living off only the food and fuel you can buy in convenience stores? 7-Eleven says yes, and they’re posting the Web video to prove it.
The “7-Eleven Road Trip Rally” online promotion pits two teams against each other in a race from the left and right coasts to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The challenge: Both the red car, which left San Francisco on May 10, and the green car, out of Miami on the same day, can make pit stops only at 7-Eleven stores along the way to the finish line on May 28.
The teams must also complete scheduled challenges along the way, most of them involving CPG brands that have partnered with 7-Eleven on the rally. For example, on May 18 the teams pulled off the road to build Pinewood Derby race cars out of Rice Krispies treats, with the best race time winning 100 points. Other challenges at press time have involved building the biggest stack of Snickers bars or packing the most bottles of Dr Pepper into their car.
The three-week rally is being filmed daily and syndicated to the Web via Blip.tv. Fans can follow the action at a microsite, 711RoadTrip.com, or on AOL Video, iTunes, Yahoo Video and other partner Web sites. They can also track each car’s progress and point score via Twitter or Facebook, or by using an interactive map on the site, and can also see a list of the items bought at each pit stop.
First-time Producers
It’s 7-Eleven’s first foray into Web video and part of the Dallas-based chain’s overall strategy for building audience among millennial consumers, “That age group lives online and stays connected through social media,” says senior marketing manager Denise Jenkins.
Besides viral video, the Road Trip Rally promo taps into several other trends, Jenkins says, including the reality-TV habit and 7-Eleven’s existing ties with the Indy Racing League. The chain works with Andretti Autosport to sponsor two IRL drivers, Tony Kanaan and Danica Patrick. Both are slated to be at the rally’s finish line to welcome the two teams and crown the one with the most points.
The Web video idea, introduced by agency Freshworks and recorded by production company Happy Little, has been a real learning experience for 7-Eleven, Jenkins says. For one thing, the company was told early on that the video segments would have to be kept to two or three minutes to hold Web viewers’ attention.
“But we’re posting much longer clips — up to 10 minutes long — on the site, and we’re finding that the average viewership time exceeds five minutes apiece, with 80% of visitors watching the videos,” Jenkins says. “People are staying very engaged.”
Got a Web tip to share? Contact Brian Quinton at brian.quinton@penton.com
