Standing on Guard for Tim’s

You can bet a dollar to a doughnut that heaven is round with a hole in the middle. Just like the doughnut itself: fragrant, warm and deeply satisfying. The snack of chubby cherubs. Chocolate almond biscotti? Light and crunchy, yes, but where is that stick-to-your-ribs, contentedly full feeling? Doughnuts are comfort food par excellence. But, according to Steve Penfold, the doughnut is much more: it is a cultural symbol and a bellwether of Canadian social development. Really.

As a marketer, I can believe this. There are two tribes in the world: Tim’s people and Starbucks people. Tim’s (a.k.a. Tim Hortons) people (a.k.a. doughnut lovers) are earthy, honest, hardworking. Give them a double double over a decaf grande vanilla soy latte any day. They like their snacks big, sweet, cheap and filling. They work with their hands and earn every penny. They talk about hockey, not postmodernism. They are essential Canadians, the bedrock of the Canadian...