‘Any time is 7-Eleven time’: Inside the brand’s push to redefine convenience

As 7-Eleven marks its annual 7-Eleven Day today, the convenience retailer has more to celebrate than free slurpees. Under general manager of marketing Adam Jacka, the brand is in the midst of a major marketing transformation – one that aims to shift public perception, reignite pride internally and expand its reach beyond loyalists to a new generation of Australians.

“We’ve been a leader in convenience in Australia for almost 50 years,” Jacka told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE.

“We serve millions of Australians every month across 750 stores, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. But our loyal base alone isn’t enough to drive the ambition we have for the future. We need to convince non-considerers to see how 7-Eleven fits into their daily lives – in ways they don’t yet imagine.”

That ambition sits at the heart of the retailer’s new brand platform, ‘Any time is 7-Eleven time’, created in partnership with Clemenger BBDO, production house Finch, and media agency PHD. The campaign marks a step-change for the brand, moving from product-led advertising to storytelling built around real customers, real products and real-life moments.

A brand built for every hour

Jacka said the idea was born from an unvarnished truth: life no longer runs 9 to 5. “Whether it’s a parent heading out at 1 am because their kid’s sick and they’ve run out of Panadol, or a group of Gen Zs grabbing doughnuts after a night out – there’s a 7-Eleven nearby or delivered to your door,” he said.

But winning convenience in 2025 is no longer a given. “It’s an incredibly cluttered market,” he added. “We’re not just competing with petrol and convenience players. Quick-service restaurants, supermarkets and delivery platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash are all chasing the same consumer needs. The term ‘convenience’ doesn’t mean what it did 50 years ago – we have to earn that space every day.”

That means reframing what Australians think a 7-Eleven can be. Once synonymous with Slurpees, snacks and late-night fuel, the brand is now pushing into credible food territory, from onigiri and Japanese-inspired ranges to pizzas and cheeseburgers.

“We’re bringing inspiration from Japan to deliver fresh, tasty, quality food,” Jacka said. “It’s about modernising our core while staying true to what made us: convenience and accessibility.”

The power of internal pride

While the campaign is outwardly about expanding 7-Eleven’s audience, Jacka said it has had a powerful internal impact.

“The energy of our franchisees and frontline team has been amazing,” he said. “There’s real pride as they see the brand showing up so boldly. I’ve had messages from team members and old friends sending photos of billboards. That internal pride matters, because the people in stores are the brand.”

That enthusiasm extends to the boardroom. Since the company’s change of ownership two years ago, Jacka said there’s been “genuine advocacy from the top down” for marketing’s role in driving growth.

“Our executive chairman from Japan often reminds us of our founding story. Before we were 7-Eleven, we sold ice. It was about meeting unmet needs. That’s still our purpose today.”

Showing up where people don’t expect

Clemenger BBDO executive creative director Amy Weston said the campaign’s strength lies in its authenticity. “Time has always been in 7-Eleven’s DNA,” Weston said. “The brand started as seven-to-eleven because people needed stores to stay open longer – and then realised they needed us all the time. This campaign simply holds a mirror to how Australians already use the brand, from 6 am coffee runs to 9 pm emergency dashes.”

Weston said the work intentionally pushes the brand into unexpected places and audiences.

“We’re showing up in places people don’t expect us to be,” she said. “Whether that’s Twitch, podcasts, or Reddit, where people are sharing their own 7-Eleven stories. It’s about broadening the occasion and appealing to the next generation of Australians.”

Authenticity was key in production. “None of the talent were actors,” Weston explained. “The footy club in the ad is a real team.

The gamers are real friends. When people know each other, you can feel that warmth on screen. We wanted familiar products in unfamiliar moments – that’s what makes it relatable.”

Jacka agreed. “It’s not about selling a product; it’s about telling the stories behind where the product shows up.”
From value to differentiation

The transformation also signals a strategic shift from short-term trade offers to longer-term brand building.

“Like many retailers, post-Covid we became heavily focused on immediacy and value – what we call ‘price and stripes’,” Jacka said. “But that only speaks to existing customers. To grow, we need to get more Australians thinking about 7-Eleven for more missions, more moments, more often.”

Backed by new ownership and a 2030 ambition plan, Jacka said the team is balancing short-term results with long-term brand impact. “We’re using media-mix modelling to find the right balance between trade-driving and brand-building. It’s about convincing Australians of the quality behind our Japanese ranges, coffee, and new food offerings. When we do that, everything else lifts.”

Momentum is already building. Market share is up, app engagement has hit 1 million weekly users and 7-Eleven’s loyalty program now boasts nearly 4 million members. “That data lets us personalise stories and products,” he said. “We can bring value and storytelling together in every interaction.”
A long-term platform

For Weston, the campaign’s creative foundation has reshaped how the agency and brand work together. “Previously, we’d approach each product separately – coffee one month, food the next,” she said. “Now everything ladders up to a single idea. It’s given the brand consistency and cohesion, but also freedom to evolve.”

Jacka said the team intends to be patient. “We’ll keep testing and optimising, but this is an idea we believe can live for years,” he said. “It’s authentic and timeless – something that could have existed 98 years ago when 7-Eleven began and something that can carry us through the next decade.”

That next chapter will see 7-Eleven show up in more “tentpole moments” – from Christmas to New Year’s Eve and peak summer – as the brand deepens its connection with Australians.

“From the moment people wake up to the moment they go to bed, we want them thinking about the role 7-Eleven can play in their day,” Jacka said. “Any time really is 7-Eleven time.”