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    The Best Work You May Never See: GUT Toronto Feathers “KindNest” For Tim Hortons’ Holiday Campaign

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2925 Views

    Canadian coffeehouse and restaurant chain Tim Hortons has launched a holiday campaign with a 60-second TV commercial and a children’s book called “A Nest in the North,” with 100 percent of the proceeds from book sales being donated to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

    “Our holiday campaign is inspired by the shared values and traditions of Canadians of being kind to each other and making everyone feel welcomed and included. These values are never more relevant than during the holidays – kindness is a gift we all have in us to give,” said Hope Bagozzi, chief marketing officer of Tim Hortons.

    The holiday campaign features a heartwarming story about having to leave home under difficult circumstances and seeking a new life in a foreign land. The whimsical campaign includes a Canadian Goose as the welcoming figure who takes in newcomers, even if they’re from a different flock. 

    To accompany the TV commercial entitled “KindNest,” Tim Hortons co-developed “A Nest in the North” with Veronika Kotyk, an illustrator and graphic designer who made her journey to Canada from Ukraine in June 2022. “I’m extremely grateful for the chance to share a story so close to my own personal experiences and the experiences of many others who were forced to leave their ‘nests’ for different reasons,” said Kotyk.

    “KindNest”–directed by Sebastian Lopez via production company Rebolucion–and “A Nest in the North” were developed in partnership with independent creative agency GUT Toronto.

    “We knew with what’s happening all over the world that this is a story that needed to be shared, and it was even more impactful coming from Tims because of the brand’s inherent Canadian values,” said Brynna Aylward, executive creative director at GUT Toronto. “We’re excited to share KindNest with Canadians this holiday season.”

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    Credits

    Client Tim Hortons Agency GUT Toronto Anselmo Ramos, co-founder & creative director; Juan Javier Pena Plaza, North American chief creative officer & partner; Ryan O’Hagan, managing director; Brynna Aylward, executive creative director; Laura De Santis, Sophia Kossoski, Eva Feldman, associate creative directors; Daniel Zhang, Angelica Frank, art directors; Christopher Vena, Christina Gregoire, copywriters; Renata Neumann, head of production; Athena Kouverianos, director of production; Kelly Mark, sr. producer; Dennis Soler, producer; Dino Demopoulos, chief strategy officer; Gvantsa Datuashvil, sr. strategist; Lisa Clark, jr. strategist; Emily Barnes, content director; Gaston Figallo, social strategist; Victoria Vecchio, content strategist. Production Company Rebolucion Sebastian Lopez, director; Esequiel Ortiz, CEO; Wada Gallardo, exec producer; Emiliano Bonda, producer; Mariano Olivari, post coordinator; Manuel Bullrich, DP; Sabrina Mottino, editor. Post Ratio VFX Maria Carretero, color grading. Music & Audio Mix Grayson. Illustration Veronika Kotyk, illustrator. Collaborative Agencies The French Shop, French adaptation; Horizon,  media; Media Monks, digital media; APR, production resources.

    Media Type:Commercial: Television
    ScreenWork Categories:Commercial
    Screenwork Type:Best Work
    Video Tags:GUT TorontoRebolucionSebastian Lopez



    Top Spot of the Week: BBDO, Director Anthony Frattolillo Get “Packing” For The American Red Cross

    Thursday, November 6, 2025

    Once again, this holiday season, BBDO New York and the American Red Cross have launched a campaign underscoring the urgent needs of families disrupted by disasters--something that occurs every eight minutes across the country, over 7,000 times during the
    holidays alone.

    Running on TV and online through December, the campaign include this PSA titled “Packing,” directed by Anthony Frattolillo via One Free Play. The spot begins with a family that appears to be preparing for a trip. But the mood shifts dramatically when it is revealed the reason they are really packing is an imminent wildfire, and that they are evacuating to a Red Cross shelter. The spot ends with a call to action: “They’re relying on us. We’re relying on you. Please donate.”

    BBDO associate creative director Nicole Dombey shared, “I experienced an evacuation as a child, and I’ll never forget the quiet confusion of that moment. As a team, we wanted to capture that mix of innocence and uncertainty families feel in those moments.”
    Director Frattolillo stated, “I’ve packed that same car three times, sat in that same traffic jam, worrying about my safety and the safety of my family, thinking we might not see home again. So when we made this film, I wanted people to feel what that moment is really like, the fear, the uncertainty, and the hope that someone will be there when you need them most.”

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