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Sidney Crosby puts his passion for hockey "in his own words,” for a new national TV commercial for Tim Hortons that seeks to connect Canadians’ love of the sport with the iconic coffee chain.
The Pittsburgh Penguins centre, and Timbits Hockey program ambassador, voices the 60-second spot, which debuted during TSN’s coverage of the World Junior Hockey Championships final Tuesday night.
Crosby explains how hockey is a passion that brings Canadians together over images and video of family and friends playing the game or watching, often with a Tim Hortons coffee in hand.
The commercial shows home footage of Crosby playing Timbits hockey in 1993, and continues with him, as he is today, sitting on a locker room bench.
He starts to tell the camera how "hockey is that thought inside your head saying wouldn’t it be amazing getting up,” before cutting to an interview clip of Crosby when he was 13 completing the sentence: "every day and playing, doing something that you love to do.”
The spot ends with a voiceover saying "Tim Hortons celebrates hockey, as it brings together all Canadians who love this game.”
Robert Forbes, senior director of regional marketing and national promotions at Tim Hortons, said the spot, created by long-time creative agency JWT, demonstrates Canadian passion for hockey and how it intersects with the brand.
"Hopefully viewers will see themselves in some portion of that spot, either watching the game with friends, or at the arena, or taking their kids to the arena, or playing themselves,” he said.
The franchise has been intrinsically linked to the sport ever since hockey player Tim Horton opened his first shop in Hamilton, Ont. in 1964, said Forbes.
From sitting in a rink watching a game with a coffee in hand, to visiting a drive-through after a morning practice, hockey naturally fits with the brand, he said.
Tim Hortons also sponsors seven NHL teams including the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets.
In 2006, the chain announced a multi-year partnership with Crosby. Last summer he signed a second three-year contract.
"I am proud to represent Timbits Hockey,” Crosby said at the time. "In my early days of playing hockey, my parents and coaches always reinforced the importance of having fun. That is something I take to the ice with me every day.”
The spot will run for the next three weeks, with a second flight scheduled for the NHL playoffs.
Excelerator Media handled the buy.
