• by Larissa Faw , September 23, 2016

Tim Hortons has selected Horizon Media as its U.S. media agency of record, following a formal review. The incumbent agency was Mindshare NA which will continue to handle the Canadian business.  

Horizon will be responsible for media planning and activation across all channels in the U.S., including TV, radio, digital, print and out-of-home. The shop will work with creative agency JWT, with the first campaign set to debut this month. 

The messaging will focus on driving business growth in the U.S. 

Well-known and well established in Canada, Tim Hortons is making a play for American consumers. Horizon is tasked with helping its new client gain national awareness.

Although the chain opened its first U.S. location in 1984, Hortons had only 650 U.S. locations as of December 31, 2015. By comparison, there are more than 14,000 McDonald's in the U.S.  

This unrealized U.S. potential was cited as a key priority after the $12.5 billion merger in late 2014 between Burger King and Tim Hortons that formed Restaurant Brands International. 

Tim Hortons' ad budget was $3.05 million during the first quarter of 2016, up from $2.76 million year-over-year. For the full 12 months, Tim Hortons advertising was $11.49 million in 2015, according to Kantar Media.