Tim Hortons superfan Justin Bieber leads donut collaboration

As Tim Hortons looks to amp up innovation on its menu, it’s turned to one of its biggest fans for help. Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has teamed with the coffee-and-donut chain on a new line of flavor combinations for its popular Timbits donut treats. Three new flavors—Chocolate White Fudge, Sour Cream Chocolate Chip, and Birthday Cake Waffle—were developed in a collaboration between the “Peaches” singer and Chef Tallis Voakes, Tim Hortons’ director of culinary innovation. Renamed “TimBiebs,” the limited-edition flavors arrive at Tim Hortons locations in the U.S. and Canada on Nov. 29. In Bieber, Tim Hortons has captured a superfan—and sometime critic—of the iconic brand. In 2019, Bieber led an ultimately unsuccessful effort to encourage the chain to change the style of lids on its coffee cups. Thousands of Bieber’s social-media followers supported his contention that the new lids, designed to be more environmentally friendly than their predecessors, made its coffee more difficult to drink. However small, the skirmish demonstrated Bieber knows what Tim Hortons fans want, and that message comes through in a 60-second spot produced by the agency Gut to support the launch. In the spot, Bieber brainstorms with a Tim Hortons executive who enthusiastically jots his ideas onto a whiteboard and encourages even his worst proposals. “Doing a Tim Hortons collab has always been a dream of mine,” Bieber, who was born and raised in Stratford, Ontario, said in a statement. “I grew up on Tim Hortons and it’s always been something close to my heart.” A selection of related merchandise will also be sold in select stores in Canada and the U.S. to support the TimBiebs launch, the brand announced. “What we loved about the idea of working with Justin is that he has an authentic, lifelong relationship with Tims. He’s become a global star, but he remains really proud of his Canadian roots,” Hope Bagozzi, chief marketing officer for Tim Hortons, said in emailed comments to Ad Age. “Justin truly is a partner; he brings a lot of great ideas to the table as someone who is a fan of the brand and is excited to take it to different places. He knows exactly what our guests already love about Tims and he’s helping us deliver new menu innovations that we know they’re going to love.” The new flavors arrive as Tim Hortons looks to build on sales momentum that had been interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and its effects on consumer shopping and eating patterns, particularly in Canada. Parent Restaurant Brands International earlier this year announced it would invest C$80 million in a “Back to Basics” strategic plan meant to improve Tim Hortons' business built behind improving food quality and service this year at its more than 3,900 units in Canada. In addition to the corporate investment, the chain’s franchisees in Canada agreed to kick in an additional 0.5% of sales toward advertising, officials said in March. In the recently completed third quarter, Tim Horton’s spent $67 million on advertising worldwide, a 45.7% increase from the same period in 2020. Same-store sales during the quarter rose 8.9% while systemwide sales jumped by 16.7%, to $1.77 billion. Founded in Ontario in 1964 by former ice hockey star Tim Horton, Tim Hortons has engaged numerous celebrity endorsements over the years, including NHL All-Stars Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby, and the Canadian singer Shawn Mendes, who appeared on a series of collectible cups in 2019. Gut established a Toronto office earlier this year to support the Tim Hortons brand.

Tim Hortons superfan Justin Bieber leads donut collaboration

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