Tim Hortons adds a twist to its breakfast menu

Tim Hortons is continuing to build momentum behind breakfast by adding a Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich menu item.

In a TV and digital campaign introducing the new sandwich, a group of young roller skaters at an outdoor patio do tricks and sample the new offerings, a merger of what the QSR calls classic Canadian flavours.

The new breakfast lineup at Tim Hortons now includes Farmer’s Wraps, Classic or Specialty Bagel BELTs, and Breakfast Sandwiches with an English Muffin or Homestyle Biscuit. The items are all prepared fresh to order with a 100% Canadian freshly cracked egg, which parent company RBI has said helped it grow market share in the daypart.

“As we discussed at our Investor Day, Canadians love our breakfast, even more so since launching freshly cracked eggs, and we’re always striving to build on that momentum and continue to grow our breakfast market share,” says Hope Bagozzi, Tim Hortons’ CMO, adding that the campaign is bringing to life the idea of modernizing a classic.

Bagozzi tells strategy it is continuing to employ real guests in its advertising approach as it “love[s] the energy that these Tims breakfast lovers and actual roller-skating guests brought to the maple bacon campaign.”

According to Bagozzi, the four-week media campaign is pretty typical of how the QSR activates for many new menu items at Tims. Both the English and French commercials have the same underlying strategy and she says that the brand put a lot of work into ensuring it found just the right stories and people.

The campaign is by Gut and The French Shop, while Horizon handled traditional media and Media Monks digital media and is in line with previous menu innovation spends.

In the company’s recent earnings call, parent RBI claimed that it’s “really important to double down on brand related messages,” particularly breakfast innovations but also coffee quality, and that it is “building credibility in espresso.”

In addition to the sandwiches, therefore, new in Tims restaurant locations is a lineup of Redeye beverages featuring a shot of espresso – brewed with 100% ethically sourced premium Arabica beans – Redeye Iced Capp, Redeye Original Blend Coffee, or Redeye Iced Coffee.