7-Eleven launches Rilakkuma campaign to celebrate Japanese character's 10th birthday

A 7-Eleven marketing spokesperson said Rilakkuma is a huge hit in Hong Kong and it is attractive to a wide range of audiences including chldren, students and office workers who adore Rilakkuma and his friends.

The 'Rilakkuma egg theme collection' is available starting tomorrow for eight weeks. Leo Burnett is the ATL agency, of which the digital component is by Agenda, while ZenithOptimedia is the media agency partner for the campaign.

The items in the collection are all dressed up in egg themes and can be transformed into plush items including drawstring bags, small wallets and pass holders. 

Besides features on the 7-Eleven fan page, a Facebook game will be launched. Users can invite their friends to compete for pirzes in a digital version of the scissors-rock-paper game.

“The egg theme Rilakkuma was very successful in Japan, but it was not available in Hong Kong," said Rose Yeung, sales and marketing director of 7-Eleven. "Therefore, we would like to bring it here to our customers on this special occasion.” 

A 20-something woman surnamed Lui, a Rilakkuma fan, told Campaign Asia-Pacific that she found the campaign poster "cute and adorable" and would probably visit the chain's stores more often to collect the items. "Although there are already many Rilakkuma crossover products with clothes brands, like the 'b+ab x Rilakkuma collection', these 7-Eleven products will still be attractive to die-hard fans," she said. "Their collection appetites are insatiable."

The redemption tactic is an oft-used and successful one for the brand.