Two of the biggest advantages that Tim Hortons has always had over its U.S. based competition are the dependability of its coffee and its Canadian "down-home-ness." In the late 1990's, however, a period of rapid expansion had begun to erode the connection that Canadians felt with the Tim Hortons brand.

We needed a campaign that would reinforce that connection by reminding Canadians that the values represented by Tim Hortons' coffee - dependable, honest, unpretentious - and by the Tim Hortons experience - helpful, friendly - fit perfectly with Canadian's view of themselves. This notion led JWT's Enterprise division through the development of the "True Stories" campaign. This campaign is based on real coffee experiences that are brought to life in ways that reflect the shared values of Tim Hortons and Canadians. One of the first spots in the campaign featured "Shorty" - the man who maintains the ice at a small town curling rink. The latest spot in the campaign premiered during the Winter Olympics. It features a wonderful moment between a father and his adult son.

Brand awareness and attitude tracking all confirm that the campaign is working. It has lead to double digit sales growth every year since it went to air. Tim Hortons has now passed McDonalds to become the largest restaurant chain in Canada.

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