7-Eleven Looks for 'FreshWorks' From Omnicom; Convenience Giant Selects Omnicom for New Organizational Approach

DALLAS, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 7-Eleven, Inc. , the world's largest convenience retailer, has chosen Omnicom Group to handle integrated marketing communications, including advertising, promotions and point-of-purchase. Omnicom subsidiaries Tracy Locke, TPN, Dieste Harmel & Partners and The Integer Group have formed FreshWorks, a virtual agency specifically designed to service the 7-Eleven business. The agreement will be effective in September.

"We saw an integrated approach from all the agencies that presented, but Omnicom was the clear winner because they organized in a unique way that will give us access to best-of-class agencies, talent and creative," said Doug Foster, vice president of marketing for 7-Eleven, Inc. "They essentially assembled a cluster of agencies managed by a single account team that presents one face to us and ensures complete integration and quality control."

The agency review process began with an integrated review for a single- solution provider team. Besides Omnicom, finalists included WPP Partners and Interpublic Group.

The new FreshWorks entity will support 7-Eleven as its only client. Responsibilities will include providing strategic counsel, consumer insight and creative product to increase awareness and sales. 7-Eleven will look to the agency for concepts and production of its broadcast, print and outdoor advertising to promote the 7-Eleven brand and proprietary products like the Slurpee(R) frozen beverage, Big Gulp(R) drinks and Big Eats Deli(R) sandwiches. Camelot Communications Inc. will continue to handle media buying. ABA Consulting of Dallas managed the review process on behalf of 7-Eleven.

"As a virtual agency, FreshWorks has an account management team dedicated solely to 7-Eleven," Foster said. "It offers a unique collection of agencies steeped in talent and resources that we can draw upon on an as-needed basis."

It was Tracy Locke Advertising that branded the convenience store chain with the 7-Eleven(R) name in 1946. With convenience stores operating under a variety of names like City Ice and Tote'm, the company needed a common name identification. Then-company president Joe C. "Jodie" Thompson Jr., son of company founder Joe C. Thompson, charged the agency with creating an identity for the 75-store chain. The name, 7-Eleven, reflected the store's hours of operations at that time -- from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. As the company's first agency almost 60 years ago, Tracy Locke produced all newspaper, radio and point-of-sale advertising.

As the first convenience retailer to advertise on television in 1949, 7-Eleven was one of the first to usher in the age of broadcast advertising. To introduce Americans to the Slurpee frozen beverage in the 1960s, the company's in-house agency created a ground-breaking advertising campaign of zany radio commercials featuring funny voices and funnier situations related to the unconventional Slurpee flavor names. So amusing were the radio spots that listeners deluged radio stations with requests to replay them, resulting in many deejays airing the spots for free. Slurpee celebrates its 40th birthday this year. The in-house agency also created one of the most recognizable slogans of all time -- "Oh Thank Heaven(R) for 7-Eleven."

About 7-Eleven, Inc.

7-Eleven, Inc. is the premier name and largest chain in the convenience retailing industry. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates or franchises approximately 5,800 7-Eleven(R) stores in the United States and Canada and licenses approximately 22,700 7-Eleven stores in 17 other countries and U.S. territories throughout the world. During 2004, 7-Eleven stores worldwide generated total sales of approximately $41 billion. Find out more online at http://www.7-eleven.com/ .

About Omnicom Group

Omnicom Group is a strategic holding company that manages a portfolio of global market leaders. Our companies operate in the disciplines of advertising, marketing services, specialty communications, interactive/digital media and media buying services.

About ABA Consulting

Founded in 1995, ABA Consulting is a marketing consultancy dedicated to helping clients grow revenues profitably and improve the productivity of their marketing. The firm's clients span both for-profit and nonprofit companies. In the area of advertising agency searches, ABA Consulting has recently completed guiding the selection process for Firehouse Subs, and is currently assisting Nationwide Insurance in a review of its Co-op advertising program. Other recent searches and compensation assignments were conducted to assist Kia Motors of America, Service Experts, Lennox Industries, and The American Red Cross.