Tim Hortons celebrates 50 years of exploiting national identity for profit
“We could not be more proud that we have made it to 50 years of servicing the Canadian market with the vague notions of hockey and ‘Canadianness’ that have allowed us to generate over $3 billion in revenues annually,” said Vice President of Marketing Darryl Hanson.
“Tim Hortons was the first to realize that Canada’s inherent lack of a shared definition of national identity allowed room for a business that is wholly uninterested in anything other than making money, to insert itself as a patriotic placeholder through a well thought-out media strategy,” Hanson continued. “Our research shows it was effective to the point where people know more about Roll Up the Rim to Win than they do about Canada’s confederation back in eighteen-sixty-whatever-it-was.”
So true. So True. 
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“The ordinary sales pitch of ‘we’re Canadian, so buy us’ doesn’t seem to work there. Right now our strategy is to just put bacon on everything and see what that does.”
LOL, no wonder American expansion has failed. I think bacon might work, though. Maybe a deep fried bacon doughnut. 
I especially love the part about:
“Tim Hortons was the first to realize that Canada’s inherent lack of a shared definition of national identity allowed room for a business that is wholly uninterested in anything other than making money"
It sort of reminded me of the "Royal Family"s Visit" to this country. I think it speaks for itself, when Tax Payer Money is spent on promoting the "Royal Circus" in our towns and cities in order to safe our so-called National Identity.
What National Identity?
Really?
The last time I check, I didn't like what I found!
Personally, I don't like Timmy's coffee!
As a matter of fact, I am totally dumbfounded by the long line-ups seen in the drive-through lanes,
Perhaps, the rumours about Timmy's Very Very Hot Chicken Soup are true?
Regardless, I think what made Tim Hortons, such a successful enterprise may have something more to do with the fact that its workforce is made up of dead-end minimum wage jobs.
But, that's just me!!!
Thanks for posting!
I can now celebrate 50 years of disillusion and a serious Caffeine addiction.
