I was watching TV tonight and saw (a few times) a commercial for Tim Hortons. Like most of us, I’m used to see Tim’s using Canadian symbols in it’s advertisements. Usually, coffee is associated with some Canadian activity ( for example, hockey is often in the ads).
But this last ad, seems to be going a little far because it tells us what we are supposed to be, what we are supposed to be doing and what we are supposed to love. It seems that they want to pick up the Molson Canadian trick and go a little further. They’re not telling us to say “I am Canadian”, they’re telling us “This is what a Canadian is and you should be like this”.
I’m not sure why but this ad bothers me more than it should. Maybe it’s because it succeeds in making me feel “less Canadian” because I don’t drink coffee at all .
Appeal to national pride in advertisement is something easy to do. Doing it well without falling into the chauvinistic side of patriotism is more difficult. I think Tim Hortons failed with this ad. What do you think?
I think Tim Hortons is about the most bland and tasteless coffee you can buy. Yet they have a reputation in this country (Ontario) for being the coffee of choice, and this ad is their way of telling you that if you aren’t on board, then you are not a real Canadian.
As consumers we have great power in how we express our opinion of products. (Unless it is a telecom company)
Timmies’ is like a Canadian version of McDonald’s, except their logical purpose is to keep you awake with their $1.38 double-doubles every freaking working mornings.
You want better coffee (besides making your own)? Go to the local coffee shops. Even other smaller Canadian chains make better coffees than Timmies.
Canadian coffee via the failsafe choice.
You want a coffee and have your choice between the local diners, four gas stations and a Timmies you’re gonna be drinking Timmies. We all do.
I drink Timmies constantly and even I think that’s a bit much. Must be a new, hungry, young marketing exec that just got keys to Daddy’s car, know what I mean? lol
Timmies is interesting because it really DOES wake you up. Starbucks never did that for me, and I thought they were known for their caffeine content? Fine blends are great, but I used to import my Starbucks from Vancouver to here when we didn’t have a Starbucks. I used to visit CowPuccino’s and Java Dot Cup alot, tried KickingHorse etc.
For everyday drinking, Timmies was the only thing I could stomach. Plus, I’d be more alert, quicker. If you have a Timmie’s chilli, pour a little pepper in there too, I can assert that you reset your “TImmies Taste” whereby the coffee goes back to tasting like it did the first time - again. For a while.
Appeal to national pride in advertisement is something easy to do. Doing it well without falling into the chauvinistic side of patriotism is more difficult. ** I think Tim Hortons failed with this ad. ** What do you think?[/quote]
Agreed. I’m certainly not a typical Canadian as defined by them. Having said that I like Timmy’s as the coffee is good enough.
.