Email this item to: Your name: Your email address:

Message (optional):

Why Do Canadians Love Tim Hortons So Much?

Canadians love their Timmies, we know that. But why do we really love Tim Hortons so much? Do they have the best coffee or the best food? While Tim Hortons may not have the best of anything, it would be hard to argue against their recipe for success in Canada. Perhaps no other brand in Canada enjoys the kind of emotional connection and brand loyalty that Tim Hortons enjoys on a national basis from coast-to-coast. Pete Blackshaw is a writer for Advertising Age and he asks the question;

"Why all the intense loyalty and evangelism over a fast-food joint named after a former hockey star? We're just talking coffee, donuts and sandwiches, right? Can't we just settle for McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts or even Starbucks?"

You can look no further than Facebook to get an idea of just how deeply embedded Tim Hortons is in Canadian culture. As Pete discovered, there are over 5 Facebook groups dedicated to evangelizing Tim Hortons, including an 'Addicted to Tim Hortons' group with over 9000 active members. It's that kind of grassroots love that has competitors like Starbucks scratching their heads.

"There is one place that we can all rely on to always be there for us," says the introduction to the Addicted to Tim Hortons group. "Admit it, Timmies is freggin amazing, it is our home away from home and if you find yourself there every night, or at least 3 times a day, then baby, you're addicted!"

Of course, this kind of viral community support cuts both ways. Tim Hortons has faced some adversity over the years. Whether it was a dispute over a winning 'roll-up-the-rim' cup a couple of years ago, or an offensive sign on a window, being so tightly integrated into the community can enable negative publicity and customer anger to spread like wildfire.

There is a quote in Pete's article that really gets to the nexus of why Tim Hortons is so popular in Canada. It's not about coffee, it's not about donuts. It has everything to do with iconography, culture and that big, encroaching neighbour south of the border, the U.S.A..

"As Canadians, we're a little bit insecure culturally, given U.S. media and cultural domination," he said. So "whether it's the CBC -- our TV network -- hockey [or] Olympic victory, we cling to our remaining cultural icons. Tim's is one of them."

via Advertising Age
image preciouskhyatt

Recent Entries:
· The Art of Steaming Milk
· Canadian Navy says there is "no acceptable substitute" for Tim Horton's coffee
· 18th Century Coffee House opening in Colonial Williamsburg

[ READER COMMENTS ]

Add your comments...

We kindly ask that you keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Abusive or inappropriate comments or comments that are specifically promotional in nature may be removed.

Your Name: (required)

Your Email Address: (required, will be kept private)

Your Website's URL: (optional)

Would you like us to remember your info for next time?
YesNo

Your Comments: