Don’t have a cow, man.
That really is a Kwik-E-Mart at Third Avenue and Broadway.
The 7-Eleven is one of 11 nationwide that have been made to resemble the famously inconvenient convenience store from “The Simp sons.”
The transformation is part of a big advertising push to promote the feature film, in theaters July 27, based on the TV show.
In what company officials are calling “reverse product placement,” all 7-Eleven insignias in the 11 stores have been replaced with the Kwik-E- Mart logo and other Simpsons references. Other Kwik-E cities include Chicago, Dallas, Seattle and Henderson, Nev.
All U.S. and Canadian 7-Elevens will be stocked with Krusty- O cereal and Buzz Cola. But the lack of Duff beer will likely disappoint the Barney Gumbles out there. (For Simpsons neophytes, Barney is Homer’s perpetually intoxicated drinking buddy.)
7-Eleven spokeswoman Margaret Chabris called the joint campaign “life imitating Bart.”
“We’re trying to bring a cartoon to life inside the store, yet call attention to the fact that we really do have fresh food that gets delivered every day,” Chabris said.
Sunday was the first day of business for the Denver Kwik-E- Mart.
Employees wore lime-green Kwik-E-Mart smocks and name tags, while customers sucked down Squishees – not Slurpees – and flipped through the pages of a Radioactive Man comic book (issue No. 711).
Surprised shoppers, like 20- something Andy Clapp, said they liked the change.
“I saw the Kwik-E-Mart sign, and I thought, ‘Is this actually happening?”‘ Clapp said.
But reactions were mixed among marketers who research large ad campaigns.
Bob Mazerov of Mazerov Miller Research & Marketing Strategy called it a brilliant tactic that has the potential to create strong emotional connections with consumers.
“Companies are trying to make new kinds of connections, and classic advertising just isn’t doing it,” Mazerov said. “I usually hate everything, but I think this is a hoot.”
But Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys Inc., called the campaign “‘Field of Dreams’ branding,” saying that companies mistakenly assume attaching themselves to a popular brand will result in increased sales – if they build it, dollars will come.
“Do you remember when Oprah gave away a bunch of cars on her show?” he asked. “Do you remember what brand of cars they were? No one does.”
The free cars were Pontiac G6s. Pontiac’s sales dropped overall the next quarter, Passikoff said.
Passikoff also pointed out the irony of trying to promote fresh food by associating with a cartoon store known for year-old rancid hot dogs and overpriced, month-old milk.
“They would have been better off doing a tie-in with ‘Ratatouille’,” he said, referencing Pixar’s just-released animated feature about a rodent aspiring to gourmet chef superstardom. “At least that movie deals with fine foods.”
Whether or not employees will imitate Kwik-E-Mart proprietor Apu Nahasapeemapetilon’s good-natured “Thank you, come again,” remains to be seen.
Staff writer A.J. Miranda can be reached at 303-954-1381 or amiranda@denverpost.com.
