7-Eleven turns 12 stores into Kwik-E-Marts to hype 'The Simpsons Movie'

Baltimore Sun ^ | July 2, 2007 | David Koenig

[3AngelaD]

7-Eleven Inc. turned a dozen stores into Kwik-E-Marts, the fictional convenience stores of "The Simpsons" fame, in the latest example of marketers making life imitate art. Those stores and most of the 6,000-plus other 7-Elevens in North America will sell items that until now existed only on television: Buzz Cola, KrustyO's cereal and Squishees, the slushy drink knockoff of Slurpees...

For 20th Century Fox Film Corp. and Homer's creators at Gracie Films, the stunt is a cheap way to call attention to their movie, since 7-Eleven is bearing all the costs...

At 7-Eleven, they're hoping it shows the ability to laugh at themselves....

The monthlong promotion has been rumored a long time -- it's hard to keep a secret known by so many suppliers and franchisees -- but 7-Eleven managed to keep the locations of the stores quiet until early Sunday morning. That's when the exteriors of 11 U.S. stores and one in Canada were flocked in industrial foam and given new signs to replicate the animated look of Kwik-E-Marts.

The U.S. locations where a 7-Eleven store was transformed into a Kwik-E-Mart are New York City; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Burbank, Calif.; Los Angeles; Henderson, Nev.; Orlando, Fla.; Mountain View, Calif.; Seattle; and Bladensburg, Md...

In some cases, 7-Eleven has contracted with manufacturers of similar products to make their Kwik-E-Mart counterparts. Malt-O-Meal will conjure up a recipe for KrustyO's...One flavor of 7-Eleven's own Slurpee will be sold as "WooHoo! Blue Vanilla" Squishee for the month...

That's the case for Kumar Assandas, a 28-year-old franchisee whose parents immigrated from India. His store in suburban Las Vegas is one of the temporary Kwik-E-Marts. "I know it's a stereotype, but it doesn't bother me. Everybody knows it's a joke," Assandas said...

[3AngelaD]

I LOVE Apu. "Please do not feed peanuts to my god." I'm glad Assandas has a sense of humor.

[KingSnorky]

Thank you, come again!

[gunservative]

"I've had a great relationship. In Delaware, the largest growth in population is Indian Americans — moving from India. You cannot go to a 7-11 or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking."

[Mr. K]

I want a Beer Squishee

[sportutegrl]

Duff Beer?

[3AngelaD]

Sorry, Rocketpants, "But they won't find Duff beer, the brand chugged by Homer Simpson. The movie will be rated PG-13, and selling a Simpson-themed beer "didn't seem to fit," said Rita Bargerhuff, a 7-Eleven marketing executive. "That was a tough call, but we want to make sure it's considered good, responsible fun."

I would have paid good money for a six-pack of Duff.

[Larry Lucido]

Great, now a bag of chips will be $5.99 and will be a week past the expiration date.

In other words, an improvement over 7-11.

[PCBMan]

Will they have the Chutney Squishee?

[TexasCajun]

"Thank You - Come Again! "

[B-Chan]

Apu on religion

[Lx]

The guy that does Apu is white, Hank Azaria.
Unless I’m mistaking who you’re talking about?

[NonValueAdded]

ROFL ... good for Kumar Assandas! He has a great sense of self worth.

[reagan_fanatic]

"Yes yes, I know the procedure for armed robbery. I do own a convenince store you know."

[Yo-Yo]

(Apu speaking about Homer):

"He slept, he stole, he was rude to the customers. Still, there goes the best damned employee a convenience store ever had."

[RabidBartender]

Guess there’s no Laramie cigarettes either. Haha!

[HEY4QDEMS]

I went to a kwik-E-Mart about 20 minutes ouside of Vegas.

Never mind.

[Welsh Rabbit]

My favorite line from that episode was when Apu caught Homer asleep on the job and said something to the effect of, “Disgraceful. The young man you replaced would be spinning in his grave.”

[JRios1968]

Duff Beer?

[3AngelaD]

D’oh, and I thought I had memorized it.