Tim Hortons aims to engage customers through digital platforms like its mobile app, website, and social media accounts. However, an analysis found its digital strategy lacks consistency and ignores customer feedback. While platforms like Twitter see high engagement, other areas like the website and YouTube need optimization. Competitors like Second Cup and Starbucks engage customers better through timely responses and relevant content. Tim Hortons must focus on reflecting its brand across all platforms to improve its reputation and address the gap between its brand promise and customer experience.

1. DIGITAL MEDIAAUDIT
By: Jasmine Li, Sarita Prashad,
Kush Rathod and Vishwas Sankhe
Image Credit: Inside Timmies

2. Tim Hortons aims to be Canadians’ #1 choice for breakfast through providing
customer-focused service and promotions via digital platforms
Competition
Tim Hortons’ main competitors
are actively sharing content on
the same digital platforms in
order to attract new potential
customers, and prompt regular
customers to visit their
establishments more frequently.
Promotions Digital Platforms
Tim Hortons has introduces multiple
customer-focused promotions
throughout the year to increase sales.
Tim Hortons’ most recent promotions
were for its annual “Roll Up The
Rim” contest, which ran from
February 7, 2018 – March 28, 2018.
Tim Hortons relies on digital
platforms such as its mobile app,
company website, and four social
media platforms to engage with
their current consumers:

3. Image Credit: Global TV
1) To increase customer awareness of the current
promotional campaigns that Tim Hortons is running
- e.g. Coffee with Neighbor's campaign, “Roll Up
the Rim to Win”, etc.
2) To increase sales through increasing customer
awareness of Tim Hortons’ products
3) To increase their customer reach through
promoting their brand on their social media
platforms and website
4) To increase customer awareness of the new
menu items Tim Hortons is releasing for a
limited time
Tim Hortons has four main business objectives which they aim to achieve
through sharing content on their digital media platforms

4. Tim Hortons’ primary target consumers are “socially connected” Canadian adults
between the ages of 18-50
Target Consumer Profile
Demographics: “Socially Connected Canadians” – Adults 18-50 who have access to the
internet (Wi-Fi or data) and use one or more social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, etc.); these individuals are educated, and may be students, part-time workers,
full-time workers or homemakers. They must be familiar with the Tim Hortons brand and
likely visit Tim Hortons on a regular basis
Psychographics: These individuals value convenience and accessibility to the business:
have time-pressed daily routines – must balance school/career with leisure time, often want
to purchase a meal quickly; prefer coffee, tea or specialty beverages and enjoy baked goods
Geographics: National – Canada
Behaviour Response: Time-pressed socially connected Canadians will purchase food
products from a business which offers them quickly, conveniently, and at an affordable price
Image Credit: Tim Hortons

5. Tim Hortons has introduced a mobile app for both Apple and Android in order to
reduce order wait times and improve customer experience
App for Apple App for Android Both mobile apps allow customers to place orders and
pay for them beforehand to avoid “in-store” wait
times, and they provide special offers.
Consumer response to the app has been positive: both
Tim Hortons mobile apps have been downloaded
hundreds of thousands of times, and they are ranked
an average of 3.05/5 stars. The downside is that the
developers have been slow to respond to any
comments and suggestions made regarding the app.
It has taken Tim’s
over 10 months
to respond to a
top comment!

6. Tim Hortons’ website is not optimized to meet the needs of consumers due to an
unattractive homepage, multiple redirect links and slow page speed
Tim Hortons has three main website addresses based on language
and location filters – CAN (English), CAN (French), and USA
(English). Both of the Canadian website addresses contain the
same content, while the USA address focuses on different
promotions relevant to the American Tim Horton’s franchises.
Tim Hortons Website (timhortons.com) Website Effectiveness = Low
• Website is not very user-friendly (social media platform
links and languages at the bottom of webpage)
• Page Speed is very slow:12.6 sec. (average = 6.5 sec.)
• Many internal page “redirect” chains, but no landing
redirect
• Secure on private Wi-Fi connection for “Tim Card”
balance, not “https” for the rest of the site (including
Children’s Foundation donation page which has a
GoDaddy Security)
• Repetition of same photo 3 times on the same webpage
• Page size is over 5 times larger than the 2.88MB
recommended size
• No images are optimized [0% score] – image sizes need
to be reduced
• 40+ cookies on website.
• No identifiable CDN (content delivery network)

7. Tim Hortons does not effectively manage its Facebook page, as the majority of
consumer comments and complaints are being ignored
Tim Horton’s Facebook Post“Roll Up The Rim” Page Facebook Effectiveness = Low
A rare instance where Tim’s responded to a complaint
within a timely manner. This is likely because this comment
will detract consumers from drinking Tim’s coffee – the
main message of the #CoffeeWithNeighbours campaign.
Number of Posts – 0.30/day
Content – 23% photos, 70% videos
Posts using Hashtags – 11.1%
Peak Activity– Tuesdays and Thursdays
Peak Posting Time – 6 AM EDT
Tim Horton’s Facebook page is heavily focused on
in-store promotions about food products; only a few
posts related to other campaigns with no mention of
Tim Hortons’ brand promise to consumers.
Rarely responds to consumer input, even though
many of the complaints will negatively affect brand
image: 3.16 M likes with 0.13% engagement per post

8. Second Cup is a major competitor on Facebook, as they outrank Tim Hortons’
online activity and customer engagement on the platform
Second Cup’s Facebook Post Competitor Analysis of Posts Why Tim’s Competitors are More Successful
Sharing engaging content on their Facebook page:
Second Cup understands that their consumers are on
social media platforms all the time, so they ensure
that they post new and relevant content [videos,
photos, etc.] every other day.
They are up-to-date with current events: On April 1,
2018, Second Cup promoted a non-existent coffee
beauty line for April Fool’s Day; it piqued the
curiosity of the brand’s followers because they were
sharing content that stood out amongst their previous
posts (it was not coffee or baked goods)
They acknowledge consumer input in a timely
manner: Second Cup attempts to resolve complaints
through continuously engaging with their consumers

9. Tim Hortons’YouTube channel has a sufficient engagement rate per post, but the
platform is not consistent with the brand’s image
YouTube Effectiveness = Low to MediumTim Hortons’YouTube Channel
Consumers will give their input about a specific post, but not
be engaging with the overall platform. This is because they
will only comment on something that has stood out to them
about the business – either good or bad.
Number of Posts – 0.03/day
Content – 100% videos
Posts using Hashtags – 100%
Peak Activity– Tuesdays
Peak Posting Time – 8 AM EDT
Once again, Tim’s rarely responds to commenters,
even though there is more positive consumer input
related to the brand image and campaigns; the
engagement rate per post = 1.19%. Tim Hortons
falls short when it comes to sharing meaningful
content – there is no logical pattern to explain why
they choose to share a specific video, and its
relevance to the previous uploads.

10. Unlike Tim Hortons, Starbucks and McDonald’s Canada’s YouTube channels
have high overall engagement and provide content relevant to their brand’s image
Why Tim’s Competitors are More SuccessfulCompetition's YouTube Channels Competitor Analysis of Posts
They appeal to a mass audience who are
loyal to their brand: Starbucks prides itself in
being a company with transparent CSR
(corporate social responsibility), and ensures
that new channel subscribers will be able to
connect with their brand and feel that their
input is being heard. Their input is reflected
in the new content being uploaded.
Sharing engaging content which reflects their
consumer: McDonald’s YouTube channels are
country-specific, and provide content that is
relevant to their target audience, in their
native language – the Canadian channel has
videos in both English and French. This is
part of the reason that their YouTube channel
has such a large following (1.89K).

11. Tim Hortons’ Instagram account has proven to be an effective platform for the
brand to share content and engage with consumers
Instagram Effectiveness = MediumTim Hortons’ “Roll Up The Rim” on Instagram
Consumers prefer to share their perspectives about Tim Hortons’brand image and its
promotions via publishing comments on their Instagram posts with relevant hashtags.
Tim Hortons is not capitalizing on this opportunity to increase engagement with
consumers.
Number of Followers – 235K
Number of Posts – 0.47/day
Posts using Hashtags – 100%
Peak Activity– Saturdays and Sundays
Peak Posting Time – 5 PM EDT
Tim Hortons makes frequent posts (3-4
times/week) on its Instagram account in order to
give customers a preview of their upcoming and
ongoing promotions and special events. Tim
Hortons can justify their focus on Instagram
activities through their success with their “Roll
Up The Rim” promotions on Instagram – 68,080
posts have been created using the hashtag:
#rolluptherim. Tim Hortons does not respond to
consumer comments and complaints on
Instagram; on this platform the company often
receives more criticism than praise.

12. Second Cup and Starbucks’ Instagram accounts have much higher engagement
rates (relative to Tim Hortons) due to their constant posts and creative content
Why Tim’s Competitors are More SuccessfulCompetitor Analysis of PostsCompetition’s Instagram Accounts
Starbucks gives consumers a hint regarding
what type of content to expect from their
Instagram account: Starbucks Canada is
focused on “serving fresh pics” which will be
relevant to consumers who enjoy specialty
drinks and baked goods.
Sharing engaging content which reflects their
consumer: McDonald’s YouTube channels are
country-specific, and provide content that is
relevant to their target audience, in their
native language – the Canadian channel has
videos in both English and French. This is
part of the reason that their YouTube channel
has such a large following (1.89K).

13. Tim Hortons’ Twitter account has a following of 659K and is updated regularly
with new daily content to promote consumer engagement
Twitter Effectiveness = HighTim Hortons’ Twitter Activity
Tim Hortons is using Twitter
to tell its consumers that
they are listening to what
they have to say; through
retweeting customer
content, Tim Hortons aims
to improve their relationship
with the consumer.
Number of Followers – 659K
Number of Posts – 0.97/day
Posts using Hashtags – 100%
Peak Posting Time – 6 PM EDT
Tim Hortons uses Twitter as a
soundboard to introduce its promotions,
philanthropic endeavours [donations for
Tim Horton Children’s Foundation,
Timbits Soccer, etc.]
Twitter is more engaging compared to
any of other channels used by Tim
Hortons because they are interacting with
their customers over the medium

14. Tim Hortons effectively competes on Twitter through using hashtags to raise
awareness about promotions and consumer-focused initiatives
Why Tim Hortons is Equal to
its Competitors
Competitor Analysis of PostsCompetition’s Twitter Activity
Tim’s has the right mix of tweets,
retweets, and replies: There is a balance
of content they have curated, and content
they have retweeted from consumers.
Like McDonald’s and Starbucks, Tim
Hortons puts a lot of time and effort into
replying to consumer input in their
Twitter feed, but they do not give up on
creating and curating content through
tweets and retweets, respectively. Even
though Tim Hortons has a lower
engagement rate per tweet, this mix
allows Tim Hortons to effectively reach
their target audience and gain meaningful
input from them.

15. Tim Hortons relies on paid advertising to reach potential consumers who are not
actively following the brand’s social media accounts
Paid Media Effectiveness = Medium
Customers are more likely to click on paid
media while scrolling on their feed
They’re more receptive to advertising in-
between posts on Instagram
Paid media gives Tim’s the opportunity to
reach new, potential customers and increase
brand loyalty
Sponsored ads show up on your account
based on search history and if your
friends/followers like/follow a page.
Instagram Paid Content Facebook Paid Content
FB CPC Pricing – $0.35-$0.50
Instagram CPC Pricing – $0.75-$2.00

16. Tim Hortons has an ineffective strategy to engage with customers on various
digital platforms
Tim Hortons isn’t consistent across all their platforms: their customer engagement
and reach is effective, however, their overall brand engagement is low.
Mobile App Website Facebook YouTube Instagram Twitter Paid Media
Consumer
Engagement
High Low High Medium High High Medium
Reach (E.g. Likes,
Followers,
Downloads)
High N/A High Low High High High
Feedback
(Comments,
Suggestions)
Mostly
positive
N/A (Done via
Guest Services)
A mix of
negative and
positive
Positive Mostly negative Positive N/A
Consistency across
platforms
Reflects the
brand
Doesn’t reflect
the brand
Reflects the
brand
Doesn’t reflect
the brand
Reflects the
brand
Reflects the
brand
Reflects the
brand
Brand
Engagement
Limited Data
unavailable
Low Low Low High N/A

17. There is an evident gap between Tim Hortons’ brand promise and the service that
customers receive through digital platforms
Brand reputation ranking dropped from 4th place to 50th
place – April 5, 2018
Tim Hortons has been too focused on trying to deliver its
promise of fast and convenient service, however, it has been at
the expense of their consumers’ satisfaction.
They have been continuously ignoring consumer feedback
which has been revealed through an analysis of their digital
media platforms
There is a huge gap between Tim Hortons’ brand promise vs.
the lack of support (if received) on digital media platforms.

18. Tim Hortons needs to shift their overall digital media focus from vanity metrics to
consumer engagement (and profitability)
There is an increasing need for Tim Hortons
to focus on its reputation online and on their
communication via social media.
The key is not to focus on numbers (vanity
metrics) but to focus on relevant and
interesting content which generates positive
engagement for Tim Hortons.
Tim Hortons’ needs to focus on seamlessly
running their video content and integrating it
with their messaging. Their videos content
need to reflect their brand values.
The competitors indicate that we need to add
more variety to the content while building
brand loyalty even further.
Overall strategic recommendations

19. Tim Hortons needs to optimize its digital platforms to reflect a consistent brand
image and increase consumer engagement
Platforms Recommendations
Mobile App There’s a need to regularly update the software for the mobile app making it more consumer
friendly (bug fixes, UI enhancement, etc.)
Website Tim Hortons needs to increase their page speed, invest in an SSL domain and reduce their average
page size (since it’s 5 times larger than the 2.88 MB recommended size)
Facebook Focus on consumer complaints and the time they take to respond to each one of the comments, as
they create negative word of mouth for Tim Hortons’ brand
YouTube Fix the cover photo for the YouTube channel to reflect their current brand image and stay
consistent with the brand image they are trying to convey
Instagram Respond to negative consumer comments in order to reassure consumers that Tim Hortons is
always listening and improving based on consumer feedback
Twitter Leverage the high engagement rate Tim Hortons has through the platform in order to continue the
successful consumer interaction which Tim Hortons has achieved via the platform
Paid Media Continue to test paid media to determine the most effective times and platforms to reach potential
customers and increase pay per click.

20. Sources
Dunham, Jackie. “They’re vulnerable right now: Tim Hortons’ brand reputation plummets.” CTV News. 5 Apr 2018. https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/they-re-vulnerable-right-now-tim-
hortons-brand-reputation-plummets-1.3872508. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
GTMetrix Latest Performance Report for Tim Hortons. GTMetrix. https://gtmetrix.com/reports/www.timhortons.com/jsqTlsO2. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Hardy, Ian. "Tim Hortons unveils limited edition Three Peaks Colombian coffee." Inside Timmies, 1 Apr. 2015, https://insidetimmies.com/2015/04/01/tim-hortons-three-peaks-colombian-
coffee/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
McDonald’s Canada. Twitter. https://twitter.com/mcdonaldscanada?lang=en. 6 Apr. 2018.
McDonald’s Canada. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/user/McDonaldsCanada. 6 Apr. 2018.
Richardson, Renne. “Tims joins Brainerd Restaurant options.” Brainerd Dispatch. 29 Sept 2016. http://www.brainerddispatch.com/news/4126243-tims-joins-brainerd-restaurant-options.
Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Second Cup Canada. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/SecondCup/. 6 Apr. 2018
Second Cup Canada. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/secondcupcanada/?hl=en. 6 Apr. 2018.
Second Cup Canada. Twitter. https://twitter.com/secondcupcanada. 6 Apr. 2018.
Starbucks. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/starbuckscanada/?hl=en. 6 Apr. 2018.
Starbucks. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/user/Starbucks. 6 Apr. 2018.
The Canadian Press. "Tim Hortons launches limited-time poutine doughnut in U.S. stores for Canada Day." Global News. 29 June 2017. https://globalnews.ca/news/3566484/tim-hortons-
poutine-donut-canada-day/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons Cross-Channel. Rival IQ. https://app.rivaliq.com/posts/youtube. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons Facebook. Rival IQ. https://app.rivaliq.com/posts. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/TimHortons/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons Instagram. Rival IQ. https://app.rivaliq.com/posts/facebook. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/timhortons/?hl=en. 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim To Win. Tim Hortons. https://www.rolluptherimtowin.com/en/. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons Twitter. Rival IQ. https://app.rivaliq.com/posts/instagram. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons. Twitter. https://twitter.com/TimHortons. 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons. Website . http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/index.php. 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons YouTube. Rival IQ. https://app.rivaliq.com/posts/youtube. Accessed 6 Apr. 2018.
Tim Hortons. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/user/TimHortons. 6 Apr. 2018.