ERROR's Dee Gor takes the plunge into 7-SELECT's AI-powered Foodie-verse

7-Eleven pushes the envelope of creativity by infusing the burgeoning artificial intelligence technology in its latest campaign “Explore the Foodie-verse. Anytime Anywhere.”, featuring Hong Kong pop star Dee Gor from beloved boy band ERROR as 7-SELECT’s first-ever spokesperson.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and metaverse have swept the world by storm; one of the latest brands to tap into the power of technologies is 7-Eleven. A collaboration between the brand and local creative talents sees ERROR’s Ho Kai-Wah (Dee Gor) making his way into the AI-powered Foodie-verse, unveiling 7-SELECT’s brand-new packaging and delicious ready-to-eat items.

With its extensive store network across Hong Kong, 7-Eleven has long been a household name in the city. And over the years the brand has been steadfast in its commitment to delivering convenience and developing innovative, quality products to meet the diverse needs of its customers.

7-Eleven’s very own brand 7-SELECT takes this philosophy a significant step further by offering a line-up of over 400 high-quality yet affordable ready-to-eat items – think delicious dim sum, meal boxes, handrolls, sandwiches, salad, fruit boxes and many more – regularly rolling out new flavors and varieties to entice customers and their taste buds.

Breakthrough action

7-SELECT’s latest campaign, named “Explore the Foodie-verse. Anytime Anywhere.”, pushes the boundaries of where creativity meets technology. Fun, exciting and groundbreaking, the campaign video stars Dee Gor as the brand’s first-ever spokesperson, who has captured the eyes and hearts of the public since making his mark in the music, movie and TV realms.

But Dee Gor is not the only talent on show. 7-Eleven also partnered with highly acclaimed local production teams and advertising agencies to pioneer the use of AI technology in crafting the campaign video and print advertisements, including SO DON’T BORE, Serif, Kids & Dogs, Film Factory, and Seesaw.

Together they bring the 7-SELECT Foodie-verse to life. By combining AI technology and computer-generated graphics, this mesmerizing three-dimensional world is home to a bonanza of flavors and irresistible ready-to-eat items. It’s as if audiences have set foot in a visually striking, futuristic universe. A cherry on top is when Dee Gor himself enlivens the virtual world with his trademark moves – rapping and performing daring stunts on the film set, all of which are seamlessly integrated into the Foodie-verse using cutting-edge technological innovations.

The process hasn’t been without challenges, though. Given that AI is an advanced technology based on machine learning, even before the actual shooting began, the mammoth undertaking involved eight weeks of fine-tuning and tweaking different prompts to yield the desired visuals.

In one of the earliest trials, a Japanese sandwich ended up resembling a French baguette, and a local restaurant worker, by mistake, donned a suit and tie. By training the AI with more nuanced inputs and prompts, supplemented by even more pictures and videos, the team achieved the incredible feat of creating an exciting, engaging video that deftly incorporates Dee Gor into the Foodie-verse. 

Dee Gor says the filming process is “unlike anything I’ve experienced before”: “It’s refreshing, exciting and truly in tune with the latest trends and innovative technology. I even had the chance to perform challenging stunts and wirework. I can’t wait for everyone to see the surprises 7-SELECT has in store!”

Freshening up

Dee Gor’s extraordinary journey into the Foodie-verse has led him to discover 7-SELECT’s ready-to-eat items, now spruced up with stunning new packaging and special, local features. What stays on, of course, is the brand’s unwavering commitment to give customers a “Heartfelt, Simple and Tasty” choice – to enjoy great value food anytime, anywhere.

Just as Elman Lee, Marketing Director, North Asia Food & Convenience and Company Communications, DFI Retail Group (the parent company of 7-Eleven Hong Kong & Macau), explains: “At 7-Eleven, our goal is to provide our customers with high-quality, affordable products and new and exciting experiences. As part of our promotional efforts, we’ve created an innovative and heartfelt campaign video that uses AI technology to transport customers into our immersive 7-SELECT Foodie-verse.”

“With Dee Gor as our energetic, youthful and first-ever spokesperson for 7-SELECT, we strive to expand our market reach and introduce more customers to the exceptional products in our 7-SELECT range,” Lee adds.

An exciting revamp

Among more than 400 product line-ups, some directly imported from Japan to Hong Kong, the campaign has breathed new life into 7-SELECT’s top five categories of ready-to-eat offerings. These include the ever-popular Japanese Style Sandwich, Chicken Leg, Onigiri, Juice & Fruit Tea, and Milk Tea ranges.

While retaining 7-Eleven’s iconic red, orange and green tricolour ethos, the new packaging showcases a simpler, cleaner aesthetic. The Milk Tea range, for instance, now features calligraphy artworks personally inscribed by famed local calligrapher Wah Gor, imbuing the product with a touch of local cultural significance whilst revving up its appeal.

Taking inspiration from this mouth-watering array of eats, Dee Gor has come up with a rap sequence exclusively for the advertisement. And there’s a reason why writing more and more of the lyrics whetted his appetite.

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