From the Richmond Times-Dispatch (http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173350362478&path=!business&s=1045855934855), although I found it at Wizard (http://www.wizarduniverse.com/movies/simpsonsmovie/004082736.cfm):
Real Kwik-E-Marts? Woo-Hoo!
7-Eleven may convert some stores to coincide with 'Simpsons Movie'
BY JEFFREY KELLEY
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Mar 23, 2007
It appears as though the world's largest convenience store will get Simpsonized, though 7-Eleven Inc. said the deal isn't done yet.
But at a company event yesterday in Richmond, officials showcased their planned promotional ef- forts with major upcoming films, including "The Simpsons Movie."
If all goes as planned, the convenience store chain plans to refit 11 stores across the U.S. -- Richmond is an unlikely choice -- to resemble the front of the Kwik-E-Mart, the convenience store that Homer and other characters frequent in the classic cartoon TV series.
Customers also will be able to buy products inspired by the nearly two-decades-old show, including KrustyO's cereal, Buzz Cola and iced Squishees (the cup says Squishee, but the contents will be Slurpee).
The chain also will use pictures of Simpsons characters to promote 7-Eleven's line of fresh foods, such as placing the face of Homer and his classic "Mmmm . . . sandwich" quip on sandwich wrappers.
Details of 7-Eleven's plans were showed to employees in a booth at a company event at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. It was unclear yesterday which 11 stores of the more than 4,700 nationwide would receive a cartoony facelift or sell inventory of the Simpsons-inspired products.
The movie hits theaters July 27.
Thats pretty weird. but i do wonder what krusty-O`s would taste like
And will it really turn urine blue? :^)
Would be much cooler if they officially changed the name of all the stores, permanently. But still, kinda neat.
If they're not sure where to put these, why not just put them in towns named Springfield. Being the most common US city, there are bound to be some 7-11s there.
Quote from: Minnesota on March 28, 2007, 07:44:25 PM
If they're not sure where to put these, why not just put them in towns named Springfield. Being the most common US city, there are bound to be some 7-11s there.
That makes entirely too much sense for them to actually consider it. All I know is that I'll happily drive a good distance to got see a real Kwik-E-Mart.
Attention Collectors:
If Duff beer appears on the shelves, buy an extra six-pack and never open it. Just wait 30 years and cash in.
Quote from: roguescout on March 28, 2007, 07:51:07 PM
Attention Collectors:
If Duff beer appears on the shelves, buy an extra six-pack and never open it. Just wait 30 years and cash in.
Just like the unopened can of Billy Beer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Beer) Homer saved.
Exactly! ;D
Didn't I also read somewhere that the producers are trying to decide which of the actual Springfields in the country to hold one of the premiere nights at? I would think Illinois is out of the running since Springfield is their Capital City, but that might be more logic than they're applying to their choice.
I vaguely recall hearing something like that, but I think that would come too close to actually saying what state Springfield is in.
will krusty ohs come with a free jagged metal oh?
Quote from: sarcasm_made_Easy on March 31, 2007, 03:17:32 AM
will krusty ohs come with a free jagged metal oh?
Only randomly-packed boxes. If you find one you win a free* appendectomy!
*Any medical bills are the sole responsibility of the winner(s).
how about tainted krusty brand mayonaise?
Quote from: Sharktopus on March 28, 2007, 07:57:42 PM
Quote from: roguescout on March 28, 2007, 07:51:07 PM
Attention Collectors:
If Duff beer appears on the shelves, buy an extra six-pack and never open it. Just wait 30 years and cash in.
Just like the unopened can of Billy Beer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Beer) Homer saved.
We elected the wrong Carter.
It's official. From the AP:
QuoteOver the weekend, 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.
It's all part of a campaign to hype the July 27 opening of "The Simpsons Movie," the big-screen debut for the long-running television cartoon, which loves to lampoon 7-Eleven as a store that sells all kinds of unhealthy snacks and is run by a man with a thick Indian accent.
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, which executives of the retail chain put at somewhere in the single millions.
At 7-Eleven, they're hoping it shows the ubiquitous chain has a trait seen in few corporations — the ability to laugh at themselves.
"We thought if you really want to do something different, the idea of actually changing stores into Kwik-E-Marts was over the top but a natural," said Bobbi Merkel, an executive for of 7-Eleven's advertising agency, FreshWorks, a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. "It shows they get the joke."
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.
The idea grew out of conversations between Fox and 7-Eleven's advertising agency.
"We wanted to make sure the movie stands out as a true cultural event this summer," said Lisa Licht, a marketing vice president at Fox. "It has to stand out from other summer movies and TV shows."
The Fox/7-Eleven deal is an example of a practice called reverse product placement. Instead of just putting products prominently in a movie or TV show, fake goods move from the screen to reality.
In some cases, 7-Eleven has contracted with manufacturers of similar products to make their Kwik-E-Mart counterparts. Malt-O-Meal, the Northfield, Minn., cereal maker, will conjure up a recipe for KrustyO's, for example. In others, existing products will simply be renamed. One flavor of 7-Eleven's own Slurpee will be sold as "WooHoo! Blue Vanilla" Squishee for the month.
Other recent examples of reverse product placement include Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, which spun out of the Harry Potter books and movies, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. restaurants, which opened after the movie "Forrest Gump." 7-Eleven has done other movie-themed promotions, including one this spring for the latest Spiderman installment.
After Fox pitched a 7-Eleven tie-in last year, representatives from the studio, the stores, and Gracie Films — including Simpsons creator Matt Groening and executive producer James L. Brooks, met in Los Angeles to kick around ideas. Brooks added one — holding a contest to let one fan be drawn into a future episode of the TV show.
7-Eleven executives loved the idea. They had surveys showing a strong overlap between their customers and fans of the show — both tend to be young and male. It sounded like cash registers ringing.
"They've been looking at Squishees and KrustyO's and Buzz Cola for years and have never been able to put their hands on it," said Merkel, the advertising executive.
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."
Bargerhuff predicted extra sales to Simpsons fans will more than offset the cost of the promotion and create new customers for the chain. She also said the chain is prepared for crowds and will have extra security and clerks at the Kwik-E-Marts.
The promotion, however, is not risk-free. The proprietor of Kwik-E-Mart is a man named Apu who speaks in a heavy Indian accent. He is based on a manager Groening encountered while shopping at a 7-Eleven in Los Angeles nearly 20 years ago and plays to stereotypes about convenience-store operators and Asian immigrants.
Many of 7-Eleven's franchisees are Indian, company officials say, although they say they don't track exact numbers. Bargerhuff said they were "overwhelmingly positive" after hearing of the Kwik-E-Mart idea, but "it was not a 100 percent endorsement."
"There was definitely a concern of offending people," she said. "But they seemed to understand that 'The Simpsons' makes fun of everybody. The vast majority saw this as a great opportunity."
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. "I'm a big Simpsons fan myself, and maybe subconsciously it even inspired me to become a 7-Eleven owner."
I've gotta find the Kwik-E-mart in New York.
Quote from: Sharktopus Prime on July 02, 2007, 12:48:38 AM
I've gotta find the Kwik-E-mart in New York.
As of about two hours ago, the Kwik-E-Mart Finder went up on the 7-11 web site:
http://www.7-eleven.com/kem.asp
The NYC location is the one on 42nd.
Quote from: Steve-O on July 02, 2007, 02:19:24 AM
The NYC location is the one on 42nd.
That narrows it down. ;D Let's see... 345 W 42nd... Ah, between 8th and 9th, near Times Square. Figures. I am so going there with a camera. I didn't think there even
were any
Kwik-E-Marts 7-11s in NYC. I am entirely too excited about this.
We don't have 7-11s up here in Canuckistan... and as sad as it is, I kind of miss them. When I lived in Portland, I used to be a block away from one, and it was awesome.
Hmm... now what is more sad - that I miss a convenience store, or that I'm probably MORE excited to see the pictures of the KeM than Shark is to take the pictures? ;)
Quote from: Sharktopus Prime on July 02, 2007, 02:26:59 AM
Quote from: Steve-O on July 02, 2007, 02:19:24 AM
The NYC location is the one on 42nd.
That narrows it down. ;D Let's see... 345 W 42nd... Ah, between 8th and 9th, near Times Square. Figures. I am so going there with a camera. I didn't think there even were any Kwik-E-Marts 7-11s in NYC. I am entirely too excited about this.
Yeesh, so you'll also have to only go there are certain days and times... like it's gonna have to be a Tuesday early afternoon trip. Say somewhere between 2:04 and 2:18pm.
There's a Springfield in MA! I was just there last week. But let me tell you, if they get a Kwik-E mart it'll be the best thing for them, that place is so depressing.
Why the hell they chose the 7-11 on Denny Way to be the Kwik-E-Mart, I have no clue. It was fun to buy Krusty-O's, though. The only less lifelike Quik-e-mart than the Seattle one is probably New York. It's just a glass building.
Seattle New York
(https://forum.rifftrax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.7-eleven.com%2Fimages%2Fsimpsons%2Fart_kem_sea.gif&hash=5ae70bcb9fda0b595f7d9b9e8a6c9f6b84420192)(https://forum.rifftrax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.7-eleven.com%2Fimages%2Fsimpsons%2Fart_kem_nyc.gif&hash=73c1b0a5e797eaaf34804e7455f867fdb456f458)
I'd venture to say the most lifelike one is LA.
LA
(https://forum.rifftrax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.7-eleven.com%2Fimages%2Fsimpsons%2Fart_kem_lan.gif&hash=4a7d69f6a8b2079dc8918ff67684d5d4dd310076)
Quote from: SecretAgentSuperDragon on July 02, 2007, 09:09:58 AM
Why the hell they chose the 7-11 on Denny Way to be the Kwik-E-Mart, I have no clue. It was fun to buy Krusty-O's, though. The only less lifelike Quik-e-mart than the Seattle one is probably New York. It's just a glass building.
Yeah, come to think of it, I dunno if I'll go expressly to see the Kwik-E-Mart. Why couldn't it be the 7-11 up near me? Oh yeah,
'cause they hate me. But I'll be probably be in the city sometime before the temporary storefront falls off. Good thing there's nothing else intersting to do in NYC. ;)
Quote from: Hebs on July 02, 2007, 06:33:20 AM
Quote from: Sharktopus Prime on July 02, 2007, 02:26:59 AM
Let's see... 345 W 42nd... Ah, between 8th and 9th, near Times Square. Figures. I am so going there with a camera. I didn't think there even were any Kwik-E-Marts 7-11s in NYC. I am entirely too excited about this.
Yeesh, so you'll also have to only go there are certain days and times... like it's gonna have to be a Tuesday early afternoon trip. Say somewhere between 2:04 and 2:18pm.
There's a Springfield in MA! I was just there last week. But let me tell you, if they get a Kwik-E mart it'll be the best thing for them, that place is so depressing.
Yeah, I've been to Springfield, Mass. No big whoop.
But they have the Basketball Hall of Fame! Meh.
Quote from: Sharktopus Prime on March 30, 2007, 10:38:18 PM
I vaguely recall hearing something like that, but I think that would come too close to actually saying what state Springfield is in.
Don't they reveal the states that border whatever state springfield is in in one of the trailers?
Yeah, Ohio, Nevada, Maine, and Kentucky. :^)
(https://forum.rifftrax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.50states.com%2Fimages%2Fus_map.gif&hash=58e58f404c54962ffdd12d46ec034066a2e479d5)
I think in the Behind The Laughter episode they said Kentucky.
D'oh!!!! We'd have to drive to Santa Fe from where we are.
ROADTRIP!!!!! ;D
They have one in Santa Fe!? Yer darn right, Road Trip! :^) Well-Documented road trip with photos. :^)
Quote from: Pak-Man on July 03, 2007, 04:22:38 PM
They have one in Santa Fe!? Yer darn right, Road Trip! :^) Well-Documented road trip with photos. :^)
Well,
you posted the map and all. I thought perhaps you noticed.
Yeah, we could document it, but would anyone but us care? :)
Oh. That was just a US map to illustrate the joke. Santa Fe would be our capital. :^)
Quote from: Tyrant on July 03, 2007, 02:24:12 PM
D'oh!!!! We'd have to drive to Santa Fe from where we are.
ROADTRIP!!!!! ;D
(cough)Nearest Kwik-E-Mart is in Denver. (cough)
Damn nearest for me is Dallas >:(
awesome, I will totally go to the one in Chicago. Its cool because out of those pictures its the one that looks most like the real deal
(https://forum.rifftrax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.7-eleven.com%2Fimages%2Fsimpsons%2Fart_kem_chi.gif&hash=deed3e7ada27c8385f119dda9988f396d942e6b8)
Quote from: Compound on July 03, 2007, 05:25:00 PM
Quote from: Tyrant on July 03, 2007, 02:24:12 PM
D'oh!!!! We'd have to drive to Santa Fe from where we are.
ROADTRIP!!!!! ;D
(cough)Nearest Kwik-E-Mart is in Denver. (cough)
Yeah, that's what happens when I just glance at something. Unless someone types 'zombie' and/or 'gunplay', I usually don't pay attention. I like shiny things, too.
I don't think I'll be able to make it to the only Kwik-E-Mart in my state (Orlando, Florida) but from the footage and photos I've seen of the different Kwik-E-Marts, they did a fantastic job on these stores. I would have loved to check out the food and the comic. :'(
Well, took a visit to the Denver Kwik-E-Mart today. (It was two blocks awats, and I figured "Why not?") And... it was pretty disappointing.
Oh sure, the outside looks great. But on the inside, it's a 7-11 with a pair of life size Wiggum and Apu standups, some different signage, along line at the squishy machine and a lot of empty spaces where there used to be Simpsons merchandise. And a doorman. Plus the "Buzz cola" machine was out of syrup for most of the colas, so I was stuck with root beer in my Big Gulp.
(shrug) It was neat-ish, but it didn't really set any fires with me.