Hope Bagozzi (Tim Horton's) | The Magic of Canada’s Favorite Brand
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
This episode features Hope Bagozzi, Chief Marketing Officer of Tim Hortons, sharing insights on stewarding one of Canada's most beloved brands during the holiday season. (05:25) Hope discusses how Tim Hortons has achieved 17 consecutive quarters of comparable sales growth while maintaining its special place in Canadian culture. The conversation explores the balance between preserving a brand's authentic core while continuously innovating, from upgrading their coffee brewing technology and fresh cracked eggs to launching new holiday partnerships and the holiday Smile Cookie campaign. (08:01) Hope also shares her journey from executive recruiting in New Zealand to 15 years at McDonald's Canada, and how travel, reflection, and staying true to your personal brand contribute to effective leadership.
- Core themes include sustainable brand growth through foundational excellence, the responsibility of stewarding an iconic brand, and leadership principles for maintaining team motivation during challenging times.
Speakers
Hope Bagozzi
Hope Bagozzi is the Chief Marketing Officer of Tim Hortons, a position she has held for five years. Prior to joining Tim's, she spent 15 years at McDonald's Canada, eventually leading their marketing efforts. Hope's career began uniquely - after studying psychology at McMaster University in Ontario, she moved to New Zealand where she worked as an executive recruiter for five years, helping place international healthcare professionals and eventually senior marketing candidates.
Jim Stengel
Jim Stengel is the host of The CMO Podcast and has helped hundreds of major brands discover and activate their purpose. He brings extensive experience in brand building and marketing leadership to conversations with CMOs of major brands.
Key Takeaways
Sustainable Growth Requires Strong Foundations First
Hope emphasized that "sustainable growth is not built on constant promotions but on a solid foundation." (13:31) For Tim Hortons, this meant perfecting their core offerings - coffee consistency, fresh cracked eggs, and clean labeling - before expanding into new platforms like cold beverages and PM meals. This approach allowed them to build new revenue streams without compromising their fundamental brand promise. The lesson for other brands is clear: resist the temptation to chase the latest trends until you've mastered what made you successful in the first place.
Post-Program Analysis Drives Continuous Improvement
When asked how Tim Hortons consistently tops their previous year's performance, Hope highlighted the discipline of conducting thorough post-program analyses. (12:35) She explained this involves "learning what went really well, what would we want to do differently or better next time" and "having that pipeline of ideas, flavors, partnerships" that take time to cultivate properly. This systematic approach to learning and improvement ensures that when they put things in market, "we're not guessing that they'll be successful, but they just will."
Managing High-Stakes Leadership with "Positive Anxiety"
Leading one of Canada's most beloved brands brings enormous responsibility, which Hope manages through what she calls "positive anxiety." (20:01) While acknowledging sleepless nights and stress, she channels this energy productively by maintaining a "duck analogy" - appearing calm and confident to her team while working intensively behind the scenes. She emphasized the importance of "getting into the details, testing when you're not sure because we're not just here to wing it. There's too much at stake." (20:43)
Authentic Partnerships Require Eyes-Wide-Open Approach
Tim Hortons' successful collaborations with Canadian figures like Justin Bieber and Ryan Reynolds demonstrate how to stretch a brand authentically. (22:51) Hope explained they go into partnerships "eyes wide open" knowing "will everybody like this? Does everyone like Justin? Does everyone like Ryan?" The key is doing thorough research to ensure authenticity while accepting that "to be able to evolve and stretch a brand over time, we have to be able to do things and not every guest, every Canadian out there is gonna love this." Risk-taking with authentic partnerships beats brand paralysis.
Team Cohesion Through Shared Experiences
Hope builds team resilience and motivation through regular shared experiences, including annual visits to Tim Hortons camps where the team participates in the same activities as the kids they support. (27:34) These experiences combine team building, business sharing, and connection to the brand's purpose. She emphasized staying "really close in touch with each other" and asking team members "what's on your mind? How can I help you?" This approach helps teams navigate uncertainty while maintaining pride in their work and shared mission.
Statistics & Facts
- Tim Hortons has achieved 17 consecutive quarters of comparable sales growth in Canada, a remarkable achievement for a mature brand with nearly 6,000 restaurants. (10:29) This sustained growth demonstrates the effectiveness of their foundation-first strategy.
- Tim Hortons operates nearly 6,000 restaurants across 22 countries, with more than 60% located in Canada. (05:45) This scale gives the brand significant influence in Canadian culture while providing global growth opportunities.
- The holiday Smile Cookie campaign supports approximately 600 different charity groups, separate from their summer flagship Smile Cookie program. (08:02) Half the proceeds go to new charitable organizations while the other half supports the Tim Hortons Foundation camps and in-school programming.
