[I don't even go to Timmy's on a regular basis]

[tellitslant]

I'm teaching on (junk) food tomorrow and, since we're talking about McDonanld's and the spread of Westernization/Americanization (things I am afraid to find out tomorrow: whether my students know when the Cold War ended), I thought I would see if there was anything in the Tim Hortons commercials that I could use to illustrate food branding and national identity or something. I have come out of my YouTubeing experiences with two realizations.

One: it's probably great anecdotal evidence, but I should not play in class anything that makes me actually tear up (not just the above video, but also this one and this one made me sniffly - I blame the fact that I'm coming down with a cold).

Two: there is totally an article in tracing the conception of Canadian culture over the years through Tim's commercials. I am particularly intrigued by the gender balance in the most recent ones, the positioning of immigrants, and the metatextual building of identity through referencing of existing stereotypes. This must have been done already, right?

Or do I just have fuzzy-brain from being sick? So tired, ugh.

(Ironically, the last time I was actually in a Tim Hortons was in America, while the last Tim's donut I ate was from London.)

Comments

[samjohnsson]

Two: there is totally an article in tracing the conception of Canadian culture over the years through Tim's commercials. I am particularly intrigued by the gender balance in the most recent ones, the positioning of immigrants, and the metatextual building of identity through referencing of existing stereotypes. This must have been done already, right?

Doesn't matter, do it again! I've seen similar done for MacDo, down here in the States, and for car companies. Always fascinating.

[tellitslant]

Ooh, I'll have to track down the McD's one. sometime. In the future. When I have spare brain cells. :P

[samjohnsson]

I wish I could give you a citation, but it was mentioned by a Journalism prof who was fond of researching sex and gender in advertising, and I think I read it...nine years ago?

[dulcie]

*sniff* God dammit, why did I click on those links?

I love that a proud son posted that second commercial. "My dad is in this commercial!"

[tellitslant]

I know, I love that! It's so perfect! :D

[bramblyhedge.livejournal.com]

Ironically, the one and only time I've been to a Tim Hortons - it was in Canada but I had no idea it was some big mega-corporation, or indeed some sort of Canadian icon. So much for my international cultural knowledge! ^__^;;;

...it is an icon, right? *is confuzzled* :)

[tellitslant]

Yeah, it's definitely an icon, though I don't know to what extent outside of Canada. I didn't end up using these partly because most people in the UK haven't known Tim Hortons, and most of the American's I've known who have known of it have been from the north or have had close ties to Canada. There aren't a lot of outlets outside of Canada, as far as I know.

[cosmic-llin.livejournal.com]

Man, I nearly cried at that, and I've never even been to Canada...

[tellitslant]

Aw! Well, I'm glad it's not just me, at least!