Tim Hortons
Coffee Equity

The Challenge

For more than 50 years, Tim Hortons has undeniably been a part of Canada’s identity, known for warmth and friendliness, and an acknowledged part of community life. Recently, public opinion of Tim Hortons had started to change. Due to new ownership and various franchisee issues, business stories about the brand gained considerable attention from everyday Canadians. As a result, Tim Hortons’ reputation took a significant hit. They even dropped from fourth to 50th in a national poll of Canada’s most reputable brands. The challenge was to help rekindle Canada’s love for the brand. For the first time in Tim Hortons’ history, Canadians needed reassurance about the core values of the brand. They needed to know that their neighbourhood Tims, the local institution that’s part of daily routines and communities, would remain true to the trust that had been earned over time.

The Insight

Tim Hortons as a brand shares and reflects the everyday Canadian ethos, always presenting itself in a genuine, accessible manner. Rather than responding with a corporate voice, the agency believed the answer would be found at a very human level. Hockey legend Tim Horton passionately believed his coffee shops were a place neighbours and communities could come together over a coffee, regardless of who they were, and built the company around the relationship that exists between human beings. However, a recent study revealed that nearly half of Canadians say they don’t know their neighbour. The campaign insight was simply that a cup of Tim Hortons’ coffee brings people together.

The Plan

To turn negative conversations into positive ones, the agency started at the core of Tim Hortons’ business and what Tims does best: iconic coffee. It focused on the effect that Tims’ coffee has on Canadians—it draws them together and brings out their best. The team then explained how Tims’ coffee is made so people across Canada understand the care and commitment that goes into the nation’s favourite cup. The first piece of work literally brought people together. “Coffee with Neighbours” addressed Canadians live side by side without ever even saying hello. Next, the agency highlighted Tim Hortons’ commitment in creating its signature blend of coffee. Surprisingly, this was something Tims had never detailed in over 50 years of serving Canada’s favourite cup. Through a demonstration of its “bean-to-cup” care, Tims proved how serious it is about brewing the coffee ordered five million times a day by Canadians. When people started singing Tims commercial back to the team in user-generated, karaoke-style videos, it got revealed that this process was something Canadians cared about.

The Results

Although brand tracking results for the campaign aren’t in yet, there are many early indicators that show the power of returning to the brand’s roots in coffee and community.

After several months of declining sentiment on the brand’s social platforms, “Coffee with Neighbours” resulted in a 25% increase in positive sentiment compared to the previous year. The “Coffee with Neighbours” video generated 13.5 million views on YouTube and social media and 12.6 million earned media impressions. The campaign results exceeded reach targets by 17% and drove purchase intent lift by 9.4%, more than double the benchmark of 4%.