As Canada’s largest coffee shop and QSR chain, Tim Hortons is synonymous with Canada. Canadians define themselves as such by drinking Tims coffee and Iced Capps in summer. Not far behind Tims on the Canadian scale, is maple syrup. As the world’s largest producer, Canadians proudly love it. Knowing the affinity, Tim Hortons’ main competitors already offered maple-flavoured drinks. So when Tims launched its new Maple Iced Capp and Creamy Maple Chill they had to stand out.

Only Tims could play up the Canadian heritage. Armed with the fact that Canadians apologize excessively – they say “Sorry” so much that an “Apology Act” was passed by the Government – Tims launched with an understated full-page public apology in papers across the country. Essentially, Tims apologized in the most endearingly Canadian way for not combining the iconic maple flavour with Tims iconic Iced Capp and Creamy Chill - sooner.