It's all part of the "buzz-build" for the June 13 release of Universal Studios and [image-nocss] Marvel Studios' The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt. The action-thriller is directed by Louis Leterrier.
"The Incredible Hulk is one of Marvel Comics' all-time favorite superheroes," said Jay Wilkins, 7-Eleven brand manager for Slurpee and fountain drinks. "With our collectible cups and straws, online contests and in-store promotions, 7-Eleven has become a superhero store for young fans of the genre."
7-Eleven has expanded the lineup of Hulk-themed items at participating stores this month, well beyond cups and straws, with almost every aisle "going a little green," it said.
Radiation Rush Slurpee Drinks: New Slurpee flavors are at the heart of 7-Eleven promotions. The featured flavor for June is Radiation Rush, a bright green-colored frozen drink flavored like a tropical fruit smoothie made with strawberries, pineapple, lime and a twist of guarana. Three 3-D, 22-oz. cups featuring morphing images of The Incredible Hulk charactersthe Hulk and his foe, The Abominationcan be coupled with straws featuring removable figurines of the same, which can stand on their own. Since 7-Eleven introduced special straws with magnetic characters as part of The Simpsons Movie last summer, collectible straws have become popular with its younger customers.
A Super Hero Sandwich, Incredible Gulp and Hulk It Up Meal Deal: 7-Eleven has created a half-pound turkey and cheese submarine sandwichthe Hulk Hero. Paired with a 32-oz. Incredible Gulp fountain drink, the temporarily renamed Big Gulp, it becomes the Hulk It Up meal deal, value priced at $3.99.
Fresh-Baked Mug: In the bakery case are two fresh-baked daily-delivered itemsa giant sugar cookie and a green cream-filled donut. Both feature the Hulk's green image. While 7-Eleven has previously offered character cookies and sports-team logos on both cookies and donuts, this is the first donut available nationally with a superimposed image of a popular character.
Special Edition Hulk Comics and Collectibles: In anticipation of the film's release, Marvel Comics created a special 28-page The Incredible Hulk comic book just for 7-Eleven. The plastic-wrapped special edition features an interview with comic artist genius and Hulk creator Stan Lee, pullout mini-posters and more. It retails for $4.99. Other collectibles include bobbleheads, toys, temporary tattoos, stickers and wristbands.
Saving a Little Green on the Game: 7-Eleven has partnered with GameStop in a two-way deal. When customers purchase a Radiation Rush frozen drink at the Slurpee machine or an Incredible Gulp, they can pick up coupons redeemable at participating GameStop stores for a $5 discount off Sega's new The Incredible Hulk videogame, also due out this month. When that $5 coupon is redeemed at GameStop, the customer will receive an offer for a $5 7-Eleven gift card.
A Hulking Presence: Lurking around the Slurpee and Incredible Gulp machines is a 6-foot likeness of the giant. These standee store displays have become popular in their own right, and 7-Eleven has donated previous mega-characters to children's hospitals and fundraising auctions.
Snack Attack: 7-Eleven also carries this month Pringles chips with the Hulk's likeness and special editions of AirHeads candy and six-packs of Coca-Cola.
"Super Hero merchandise is highly collectible, and customers, especially young fans, love the fun and novelty of the movie merchandise created for 7-Eleven," Wilkins said. "The Slurpee cups, spoon-straw figures and comic book offer affordable keepsakes of their favorite movies and characters."
This isn't 7-Eleven's first go-round with Marvel Comics and its stable of iconic superheros. Other characters that have appeared on Slurpee cups and for in-store promotions include, most recently, Iron Man. Additionally, Spider-Man, X-Men, the Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer have been featured. And this is the Dallas-based convenience retailer's second go-around with the green giant. 7-Eleven partnered with Marvel and Universal on the Hulk movie in 2003. Merchandise sales for that film totaled almost $1 billion, the company said.
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