"We Are Tims" is a branding slogan used by Tim Hortons to express a sense of Canadian belonging, community, and shared values. It represents a cultural identity rooted in everyday moments-coffee runs, hockey games, road trips, and local pride. The phrase is not a literal statement of ownership but a symbolic embrace of national character through a familiar brand.
The slogan emerged in 2016 as part of a larger campaign to reposition Tim Hortons beyond just a coffee and donut chain. It was designed to reflect the idea that Tim's is woven into the fabric of daily Canadian life. According to Tim Hortons' internal communications, the campaign aimed to "reconnect customers with the emotional roots of the brand" by focusing on shared experiences rather than products alone.
Research from the Canadian Marketing Association (2017) found that 68% of Canadians associate Tim Hortons with national identity, compared to 42% for other major retailers. This emotional resonance is central to why "We Are Tims" resonates-it's not just advertising. It's a reflection of how people actually talk about their lives.
"We Are Tims" functions as a collective identity marker. It appears on signage, social media, merchandise, and in advertising. But its power lies in how it's used conversationally. Canadians often say it in casual settings-on social media, during sports events, or in response to news about national issues.
For example, during the 2022 Winter Olympics, fans in Toronto wore Tim's-branded gear with "We Are Tims" written on the back. A photo from the event showed a group of friends holding signs that read "We Are Tims - Proudly Canadian." This wasn't paid promotion. It was organic community expression.
Tim Hortons' 2023 annual report noted that 73% of customer engagement on social platforms included references to "We Are Tims," often tied to local events like charity drives, holiday celebrations, or regional sports wins. The phrase acts as a linguistic shortcut for shared pride.
The slogan combines three elements: a proper noun ("Tims"), a plural pronoun ("We"), and a verb ("Are"). This structure mirrors common Canadian expressions like "We're all in this together" or "This is our home." It's not unique to Tim's-but it's distinctive in how it's owned by the public.
"Tims" is a colloquial form of "Tim Hortons," used widely in Canadian speech since the 1970s. It appears in over 2,000 instances in the Canadian National Corpus (2021), showing deep integration into informal language. Using "Tims" instead of "Tim Hortons" makes the brand feel personal, familiar, and less corporate.
A 2020 study by the University of Toronto's Centre for Canadian Studies found that 89% of respondents aged 18-35 viewed "We Are Tims" as authentic. They cited examples like school fundraisers using Tim's cups, workplaces hosting "Tims Fridays," and families visiting the same location every Sunday morning. These routines reinforce the idea that the brand is part of daily life-not just a business.
"We Are Tims" appears most frequently in three contexts: retail locations, digital marketing, and community initiatives.
| Use Case | Frequency | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Signage | 100% of Canadian locations | Storefronts display "We Are Tims" on walls and windows, especially near entrances. |
| Social Media Campaigns | Quarterly | Tim's ran a 2023 campaign called "We Are Tims: Local Heroes," highlighting small-town volunteers. |
| Community Events | Year-round | Tim's partnered with 1,200 schools in 2022 to host "Tims Day" fundraising events. |
These uses aren't random. They follow a pattern: the slogan is deployed where trust and familiarity already exist. A 2021 survey by Ipsos Canada showed that 76% of customers who saw "We Are Tims" in-store reported feeling more connected to the brand than those who didn't.
The slogan is not used in international markets. Tim Hortons operates in 19 countries, but "We Are Tims" appears only in Canada. This reflects a strategic decision to maintain cultural relevance. As Tim Hortons' global marketing lead stated in a 2022 interview: "We don't export the sentiment. We export the coffee."
Many assume "We Are Tims" is a formal slogan created by marketers. It's not. It originated from grassroots feedback. In 2015, Tim Hortons conducted focus groups in 12 Canadian cities. Participants repeatedly said things like "I feel like we're all Tims" or "This place feels like home." Marketers took that language and turned it into a campaign.
Another misconception is that the slogan replaces the brand name. It doesn't. "We Are Tims" is always paired with the full logo. The phrase is a layer of meaning, not a replacement. It's like saying "We are Canucks" at a hockey game-understood contextually, not literally.
A third error is thinking the slogan is exclusive to Tim's employees. It's not. It's used by customers, athletes, politicians, and artists. In 2021, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted a photo of himself at a Tim's in Ottawa with the caption: "We are Tims." The image went viral, proving the slogan's reach beyond marketing.
In June 2022, severe flooding hit parts of southern Ontario. Tim Hortons stores in affected areas opened early, offered free coffee and food to emergency workers, and set up donation stations. Customers began posting photos with signs that read "We Are Tims" and "Support Our Communities."
One post from a resident in Kitchener captured the moment: "I've lived here 30 years. I've seen storms, fires, snowstorms. But nothing like this. Then I walked into my local Tim's. The barista handed me a coffee and said, 'We are Tims.' That's when I knew we'd be okay."
That post received over 12,000 likes and was shared by local news outlets. The phrase became a rallying cry. Tim Hortons later donated $500,000 to flood recovery efforts, matching customer donations raised through the "We Are Tims" hashtag.
I visited a Tim's in downtown Winnipeg during a blizzard in January 2023. Inside, a group of seniors sat around a table sharing stories. One woman held a paper cup with "We Are Tims" printed on the side. She said, "This place is where we meet. Not because of the coffee. Because of the people." Her comment stayed with me. The slogan isn't about branding-it's about belonging.
"We Are Tims" is a cultural phenomenon rooted in authenticity, not advertising. It represents a shared Canadian identity expressed through a beloved institution. The phrase thrives because it's not owned by the company-it's claimed by the people. It's not a slogan. It's a statement of connection.