Tim Hortons is connecting with Quebecers as a place to “go” this season. As part of the perennially popular “Bye Bye” New Year’s Eve television show (which in 2021 claimed the top spot as the highest rated Quebecois history), the QSR united around the theme of stopping by a Tim Hortons – for a variety of reasons, including as a “pipi stop” (or pee stop in English).

The ad features spokesperson and Bye Bye sketch player, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, in a car with her friend, actor and host, Félix-Antoine Tremblay, on a typical holiday road trip that could have turned into a nightmare if it weren’t for a nearby Tims.

“The Bye Bye is the perfect opportunity for brands to present themselves in a way that resonates with the audience, because yes, sometimes stopping at Tims is first and foremost to take a quick bathroom break,” says Mélissa Charland, executive creative director at agency partner, Publicis.

This year marks Tims’ third in a row taking part in the Bye Bye TV show and was a great opportunity to connect with a Quebec audience through humor and levity, says Nicolas Cote-Bruneau, group account director at Publicis Montreal, which Tims appointed late last year as its lead communication agency for Quebec.

“We wanted to highlight a brand truth unique to Tims, something with entertainment value that would resonate with Bye Bye viewers,” Cote-Bruneau tells strategy.

QSR brands are highly competitive in this market, but few national players truly put in the effort to create messages and campaigns rooted in Quebec culture, he says, adding that, historically, Tims has run specific campaigns to acknowledge the importance of the Quebec market and continues to tailor multiple campaigns each year to the province.

That effort included a limited-edition Tim Hortons / Nutella product launch last fall, which featured a 360-degree plan leveraging Tims partnership with Habs star Nick Suzuki.

Tims has also collaborated with its brand spokesperson, Quebec actress Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, for events like St-Jean-Baptiste that feature exclusive product launches.

The campaign has been running since Dec. 31 and will be on air until Jan. 12, featuring a 30-second spot broadcast during the Bye Bye, as well as shorter 15-second and six-second versions, OOH and social media content. PR was handled by DDMG, media by Media Monks and Horizon Media.