Primary Objective: Maximize fundraising efforts for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® through an engaging and culturally relevant campaign by enlisting 9 of college football’s biggest stars to raise awareness of the organization’s mission and connect directly with local beneficiaries in their communities.
Secondary Objective: Raise awareness of the 7-Eleven brand and its social impact while engaging our dedicated customers. Partnering with social influencers and college athletes and incorporating both social media and in-store components helped us reach them where they are.
Cleat Crew aligned to our philanthropic strategy called Thriving Communities. Through volunteer initiatives, charitable donations and in-store fundraising campaigns to support important causes, we’re helping build thriving communities for years to come. Our focus areas include:
Since 1991, we have proudly raised more than $190 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® to ensure they can advance pediatric healthcare so that every child across the communities we serve can receive the best possible care and reach their full potential.
The Cleat Crew’s success was measured in three ways: awareness, engagement and fundraising.
Strategy: The Cleat Crew programs strategically leveraged the popularity of college football stars and the creativity of renowned bespoke luxury designer The Shoe Surgeon, Dominic Ciambrone, to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®. It brought together nine stars from top-ranked college football programs across the country to design custom cleats, which were auctioned off to fans throughout the season to benefit a local member of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® in each athlete’s hometown.
We worked directly with GenZ athletes to create content that authentically engaged their peers, along with other generations, by celebrating the cleats and telling stories about the designs. We also intentionally partnered with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® in each athlete’s hometown to create a more meaningful experience for the athletes and the communities they’re deeply connected to.
Execution: The 2021 NCAA NIL rule change was the innovation at the core of our campaign. Cleat Crew was a first-to-market concept for college sports. Creating cleats engaged the athletes and the campaign’s target audience while aligning the athletes with 7-Eleven in giving back to their communities.
The Cleat Crew was integrated across all channels to maximize awareness. The athletes and The Shoe Surgeon promoted the auctions and raised money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® through social media, interviews with media and check presentations. Each cleat was unveiled on social media with help from sportscaster Molly McGrath. The Dallas Cowboys further boosted awareness, as NFL stars Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons also collaborated with The Shoe Surgeon to design custom cleats. They were worn on Thursday Night Football and auctioned via the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” platform – the inspiration for the Cleat Crew.
We also leveraged in-store traffic to spread awareness with two sweepstakes that included:
The marrying of college athletes, the 7-Eleven brand, and social media provided 7-Eleven the opportunity to share its commitment to social impact with the brand’s most loyal customers.
Cleat Crew exceeded its engagement and fundraising goals while significantly driving customer behavior and store traffic.
The campaign also meaningfully drove both consideration and purchase. Customers who were aware:
