Branding
A hockey-inspired campaign for Tim Hortons, rebuilding trust in cleanliness and food safety across Canada.
Tim Hortons
Creative Strategy
Turning cleanliness into Tim Hortons' next clean play, one dedicated role at a time.
The Project
Tim Hortons' core strength has always been experience-led: fast, affordable, and familiar food and coffee that fits seamlessly into everyday Canadian routines. But a wave of customer complaints and negative reviews about cleanliness and cross-contamination had started to chip away at that trust. This project set out to restore Tim Hortons' position as Canada's most trusted everyday coffee stop by addressing declining perceptions of cleanliness and inconsistency in the dining environment.
Customer reviews were painting a clear picture of declining trust, and the biggest opportunity for winning it back sat with 20-to-40-year-olds who won't choose Tim Hortons for lunch or dinner unless the store feels clean and reliable.
Real customer reviews across Google, Yelp, and Reddit painted a clear picture: dirty dining rooms, cross-contaminated food, and inconsistent service were driving customers away, with some even calling for a boycott. The opportunity sat with adults aged 20 to 40, Gen Z and Millennials who prioritize speed, affordability, and consistency, but who won't choose Tim Hortons for lunch or dinner unless the in-store experience feels clean, reliable, and trustworthy.
With well-defined roles and disciplined execution, "Clean Hits" turns Tim Hortons' cleanliness commitment into something customers can see and trust.
The creative platform, "Clean Hits," applies the language of hockey to rebrand Tim Hortons' commitment to cleanliness. Each staff member becomes a player on the team, with a clear role, staying disciplined, and giving their best in their position. Well-defined roles reduce the risk of cross-contamination and improve hygiene control, so customers can enjoy their meals with confidence. In a Canadian context, hockey already signals discipline, teamwork, and clean play, giving Tim Hortons a natural, culturally relevant way to talk about cleanliness without sounding defensive.
The campaign brought "Clean Hits" to life across YouTube and Instagram, turning food safety into something customers could see, join, and talk about.
The campaign rolled out across YouTube and Instagram, directing viewers to a dedicated "Clean Hits" landing page built around Tim Hortons' commitment to food safety and store cleanliness. During NHL Playoff season, customers were invited to become the "Ref": claiming a coupon through the Tims App, then scanning an in-store QR code to rate their experience and earn points. Instagram ads pointed viewers to the same campaign page to claim their coupon, while regular Instagram posts featured "Behind the Story" content under #CleanTimsCleanHits, giving staff a face and a role within the campaign's hockey framing.
More Works
Branding
A hockey-inspired campaign for Tim Hortons, rebuilding trust in cleanliness and food safety across Canada.
Tim Hortons
Creative Strategy
Turning cleanliness into Tim Hortons' next clean play, one dedicated role at a time.
The Project
Tim Hortons' core strength has always been experience-led: fast, affordable, and familiar food and coffee that fits seamlessly into everyday Canadian routines. But a wave of customer complaints and negative reviews about cleanliness and cross-contamination had started to chip away at that trust. This project set out to restore Tim Hortons' position as Canada's most trusted everyday coffee stop by addressing declining perceptions of cleanliness and inconsistency in the dining environment.
Customer reviews were painting a clear picture of declining trust, and the biggest opportunity for winning it back sat with 20-to-40-year-olds who won't choose Tim Hortons for lunch or dinner unless the store feels clean and reliable.
Real customer reviews across Google, Yelp, and Reddit painted a clear picture: dirty dining rooms, cross-contaminated food, and inconsistent service were driving customers away, with some even calling for a boycott. The opportunity sat with adults aged 20 to 40, Gen Z and Millennials who prioritize speed, affordability, and consistency, but who won't choose Tim Hortons for lunch or dinner unless the in-store experience feels clean, reliable, and trustworthy.
With well-defined roles and disciplined execution, "Clean Hits" turns Tim Hortons' cleanliness commitment into something customers can see and trust.
The creative platform, "Clean Hits," applies the language of hockey to rebrand Tim Hortons' commitment to cleanliness. Each staff member becomes a player on the team, with a clear role, staying disciplined, and giving their best in their position. Well-defined roles reduce the risk of cross-contamination and improve hygiene control, so customers can enjoy their meals with confidence. In a Canadian context, hockey already signals discipline, teamwork, and clean play, giving Tim Hortons a natural, culturally relevant way to talk about cleanliness without sounding defensive.
The campaign brought "Clean Hits" to life across YouTube and Instagram, turning food safety into something customers could see, join, and talk about.
The campaign rolled out across YouTube and Instagram, directing viewers to a dedicated "Clean Hits" landing page built around Tim Hortons' commitment to food safety and store cleanliness. During NHL Playoff season, customers were invited to become the "Ref": claiming a coupon through the Tims App, then scanning an in-store QR code to rate their experience and earn points. Instagram ads pointed viewers to the same campaign page to claim their coupon, while regular Instagram posts featured "Behind the Story" content under #CleanTimsCleanHits, giving staff a face and a role within the campaign's hockey framing.
More Works
Branding
A hockey-inspired campaign for Tim Hortons, rebuilding trust in cleanliness and food safety across Canada.
Tim Hortons
Creative Strategy
Turning cleanliness into Tim Hortons' next clean play, one dedicated role at a time.
The Project
Tim Hortons' core strength has always been experience-led: fast, affordable, and familiar food and coffee that fits seamlessly into everyday Canadian routines. But a wave of customer complaints and negative reviews about cleanliness and cross-contamination had started to chip away at that trust. This project set out to restore Tim Hortons' position as Canada's most trusted everyday coffee stop by addressing declining perceptions of cleanliness and inconsistency in the dining environment.
Customer reviews were painting a clear picture of declining trust, and the biggest opportunity for winning it back sat with 20-to-40-year-olds who won't choose Tim Hortons for lunch or dinner unless the store feels clean and reliable.
Real customer reviews across Google, Yelp, and Reddit painted a clear picture: dirty dining rooms, cross-contaminated food, and inconsistent service were driving customers away, with some even calling for a boycott. The opportunity sat with adults aged 20 to 40, Gen Z and Millennials who prioritize speed, affordability, and consistency, but who won't choose Tim Hortons for lunch or dinner unless the in-store experience feels clean, reliable, and trustworthy.
With well-defined roles and disciplined execution, "Clean Hits" turns Tim Hortons' cleanliness commitment into something customers can see and trust.
The creative platform, "Clean Hits," applies the language of hockey to rebrand Tim Hortons' commitment to cleanliness. Each staff member becomes a player on the team, with a clear role, staying disciplined, and giving their best in their position. Well-defined roles reduce the risk of cross-contamination and improve hygiene control, so customers can enjoy their meals with confidence. In a Canadian context, hockey already signals discipline, teamwork, and clean play, giving Tim Hortons a natural, culturally relevant way to talk about cleanliness without sounding defensive.
The campaign brought "Clean Hits" to life across YouTube and Instagram, turning food safety into something customers could see, join, and talk about.
The campaign rolled out across YouTube and Instagram, directing viewers to a dedicated "Clean Hits" landing page built around Tim Hortons' commitment to food safety and store cleanliness. During NHL Playoff season, customers were invited to become the "Ref": claiming a coupon through the Tims App, then scanning an in-store QR code to rate their experience and earn points. Instagram ads pointed viewers to the same campaign page to claim their coupon, while regular Instagram posts featured "Behind the Story" content under #CleanTimsCleanHits, giving staff a face and a role within the campaign's hockey framing.
More Works