DFI Retail Group - 7-Eleven HK & Macau ‘AI’ Foodie-verse, Tsat Jai Sik Dong recognised at FMCG Asia Awards 2024

The company was awarded the Digital Marketing Strategy of the Year - Hong Kong and Product Launch of the Year - Hong Kong.

Honoured for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and its hot food counter revamp, DFI Retail Group - 7-Eleven HK & Macau has received two accolades at the FMCG Asia Awards 2024, namely the Digital Marketing Strategy of the Year - Hong Kong and Product Launch of the Year - Hong Kong.

Convenience stores have long been a go-to for customers looking for ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-drink (RTD) options. However, they are also perceived to have low quality, poor taste, and limited choices of these items.

To dispel these misconceptions, 7-Eleven sought to revamp its product range. It combined generative AI,CG imagery, and local agency creativity to produce a brand video. It crafted five distinct “foodie-verses” (onigiri, sandwiches, chicken legs, fresh fruit juices, and HK milk tea) to showcase its key RTE and RTD categories, all showcasing a top-selling category and set to a rap soundtrack featuring a popular Hong Kong rapper. Each “foodie-verse” can stand on its own but they also create a seamless narrative when viewed together.

“Leveraging big data, we strategically targeted customers across channels and moments, garnering 14 million views upon launch and sparking talk-of-the-town social media chatter of 1.3 million impressions,” said 7-Eleven HK & Macau.

Beyond the video, the company launched a three-phase promotion strategy, which resulted in a double-digit growth in sales.

First, it utilised a “foodie-verse” inspired gamification experience that offers free product trials and discount coupons. The game amassed millions of plays within a week.

Next, 7-Eleven introduced combo-pricing options and an exclusive Green Tote Bag as a purchase-with-purchase item, enticing customers to explore the varied offerings at an exceptional value. The tote sold out upon launch whilst over 50,000 redemptions were made during the promo period.

Lastly, it launched a “Buy 8 Get 1 Free” (B8G1F) promotion for all yuu members, surpassing 2 million participants with 855,000 collectors in one year.

The campaign had outstanding results, achieving 74% awareness and 77% liking. It significantly elevated brand affinity, with 81% top-of-mind awareness and 83% overall brand liking. More importantly, it reshaped perceptions of 7-Eleven HK & Macau’s RTE and RTD offerings, with 76% of the audience claiming their purchase intention of 7-SELECT increased and 75% claiming they would visit 7-Eleven more often for 7-SELECT products.

In addition to its product range revamp, DFI Retail Group - 7-Eleven HK & Macau also enhanced its hot food counter. Originally named HOTSHOT, 7-Eleven HK & Macau found that its hot food counter’s English name did not resonate with customers, especially given its Hong Kong-style street food offerings.

It then renamed the hot food counter to 7仔食檔 - Tsat Jai Sik Dong (7-Eleven Food Stall), a nod to how customers would colloquially refer to the brand and how they would often call street 
stalls. The rename came with a change in logo, which now features Hong Kong street food such as siu mai and skewered fish balls.

“Rather than solely focussing on the functional gastronomic qualities of food and the product, we also focussed on championing the intangible elements behind – whether it may be the nostalgia, the memories, or the human connections – and giving it a unique 7-Eleven twist,” they stated.

Additionally, 7-Eleven HK & Macau improved its entire menu to feature beloved street food, including cha chaan teng set meals. It collaborated with skilled local craftsmen to refine its recipes, spending over six months fine-tuning the proportion of fish meats in its siu mai and fishballs. The brand also developed its own unique secret sauces alongside the craftsmen, even creating a limited-time “秘撈” secret menu—a nod to Hong Kong slang and a homage to the iconic stirred noodles. For this, customers had to pay for the secret menu first before knowing what was offered.

The campaign had an impressive reach of 33.1 million and made a significant impact on 7-Eleven, which became a distant leader in brand liking compared to competitor brands. DFI Retail Group - 7-Eleven HK & Macau also recorded that 81% of customers have increased purchase intention post-campaign.

For its innovative use of AI and product revamp, DFI Retail Group - 7-Eleven HK & Macau took home the Digital Marketing Strategy of the Year - Hong Kong. It was meanwhile awarded the Product Launch of the Year - Hong Kong for 7仔食檔 - Tsat Jai Sik Dong.

The FMCG Asia Awards, presented by Retail Asia, spotlights companies that have left a significant impact on the industry. It is a prestigious event that celebrates outstanding companies in the fast-moving consumer goods sector for their exceptional products and remarkable initiatives.

The FMCG Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the FMCG industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].