Energy drink brand CELSIUS is leaning hard into culture-led retail, partnering with 7-Eleven Australia to stage what they’re calling Australia’s first-ever convenience-store rave – a one-morning-only activation designed to turn early risers into brand evangelists.
The CELSIUS SESSIONS Pop-Up Rave will see a 7-Eleven store in Brunswick transformed into a dancefloor from 9am to 1pm, blending music, product sampling, and community-driven retail theatre to connect with younger consumers.
Headlining the event is Australian DJ CYRIL, joined by emerging local talent, in an activation that doubles as a celebration of CELSIUS’ new Sparkling Raspberry Peach flavour.
When retail becomes a dancefloor
The collaboration taps into the growing appetite for unexpected, IRL brand moments – particularly among Gen Z and millennials – at a time when functional beverages are having a cultural moment.
According to Mintel, 65 per cent of Australians have consumed a functional food or drink in the past three months, with adoption climbing to 80 per cent among Gen Z and 73 per cent of millennials.
CYRIL said the format reflects where live music culture is heading.
“I’ve done a lot of crazy pop-ups, but this is my first-ever convenience store rave, and the first in Australia,” he said.
“2025 was the year of the coffee shop rave; 2026 is officially the year of the convenience store rave.
“I usually swing by 7-Eleven for a meat pie, but this weekend I’ll be throwing a sold-out rave and sipping on a CELSIUS.”
A brand play built for mornings, movement and moments
For CELSIUS, the activation is about turning everyday consumption into a shared experience – and anchoring the brand to energy that starts early.
Andrew Brooks, Head of Marketing ANZ at CELSIUS, said the partnership captured the brand’s positioning around movement and connection.
“CELISUS is about helping people live an active lifestyle – it’s for those who want to move, connect and make the most of every moment,” Brooks said.
“Partnering with 7-Eleven for a morning rave felt like the ultimate expression of that. It’s high-energy, social, and a reminder that feeling good doesn’t have to wait for later; it can start first thing in the morning.”
From 7-Eleven’s perspective, the activation reinforces the retailer’s role as a cultural touchpoint – not just a transactional stop.
Adam Jacka, General Manager of Marketing at 7-Eleven Australia, said the collaboration felt like a natural extension of how customers already use the brand.
“We’ve always been a place where Aussies turn to start their day, whether it’s an oat latte, an iced coffee or what we’re seeing increasingly with Gen Z, a refreshing energy hit like CELSIUS,” Jacka said.
“This takes a morning boost to the next level, and we’re proud to be partnering with CELSIUS on this one. A morning rave is unexpected, but it makes perfect sense: it’s local, it’s fun, and it brings the community together in the most 7-Eleven way possible.”
Tickets, timing and the retail theatre effect
Final release tickets go on sale from 3pm on Monday, 12 January via Eventbrite, priced at $7.11, positioning the event as one of the most accessible live music experiences on the calendar.
Attendees can expect free 7-Eleven breakfast items, giveaways, CELSIUS samples and surprise appearances – an activation that sits somewhere between a festival, a fuel stop and a content-ready brand moment.
For marketers, it’s another signal that the race for attention is increasingly being won on the shop floor – not the screen.