Global Ads Spotlight: Here's how 7-Eleven hijacked the NFL spotlight without paying a dime
A hot mic moment turned into one of the coolest, fastest-moving brand plays of the year - no big cheques to the NFL required. Read and watch more in our Global Ads Spotlight column.
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The NFL isn't just a sports league. It's a cultural juggernaut. With an average of 18 million people tuning in per game, the playing field is as much about eyeballs and brand integrations as it is about touchdowns.
Big brands pay millions for the privilege of being seen on the field. But this past season, convenience chain 7-Eleven proved you don't need an official sponsorship to own the moment - you just need to be opportunistic.
The unlikely star of this marketing masterstroke? Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase. Coming off a frustrating game when he felt ignored despite being wide open, Chase vented to reporters post game, "I'm open. I'm always f***ing open."
In the days that followed, he doubled down - joking in interviews and on social media that his style of play was like 7-Eleven: always open.
Here's the kicker: this wasn't some cooked-up influencer deal. Chase wasn't paid. He wasn't prompted. The brand wasn't even in on it - at first.
Sensing gold, the teams at 7-Eleven and Dentsu Creative pounced. Within 48 hours, they'd built an entire merch line around Ja'Marr's off-the-cuff comparison. The "Always Open" collection featured hoodies, tees, and a flashy gold chain with the iconic 7-Eleven logo. The campaign home base? A hastily launched microsite: IsJamarrOpen.com.
Ahead of his next game, Chase walked into the stadium - the NFL's equivalent of a runway for pre-game fits - sporting 7-Eleven's "Always Open" gear and chain. And the pièce de résistance? He wore the chain on the field itself. Every catch, every replay, every highlight flashed that unmistakable 7-Eleven logo. No brand deal with the NFL. No official rights bought. Just pure, earned media brilliance.
For game day, 7-Eleven doubled down with a coordinated takeover across its own stores and social channels, rebranding locations in Chase’s honor. It was a flex that resonated well beyond the retail world.
The results?
- Over 500 million impressions
- Entire merch line sold out in 48 hours
- $166,167 in merch sales during the first week alone
- Millions in free media value and cultural buzz
- Two shiny Clio Awards (Gold in Real Time Response and Bronze for Use of Talent & Influencers)
In a sports marketing landscape dominated by bloated sponsorship deals and official partnerships, 7-Eleven’s agile, irreverent play was a refreshing reminder of how powerful brand listening and a fast-moving creative team can be.
And as the NFL season carried on, one phrase kept echoing across fan feeds and sports talk: 7-Eleven. Always Open.
Not bad for a convenience store that didn’t even have a seat at the NFL table, until it made one for itself.
