Gut Named AOR of Tim Hortons and Officially Opens Toronto Office

Independent agency network Gut has been named the agency of record for Canadian fast food chain Tim Hortons, a client the agency has worked with for the past three years on various brand initiatives and campaigns. Gut also officially opened its Toronto office on the heels of the AOR news, after expanding to the Canadian city recently and naming Fernando Ribeiro to the newly-created global CSO role to oversee five offices ranging from Canada to South America. The relationship with Tim Hortons was key to the expansion into the Canadian market. The agency developed campaigns highlighting the chain’s ties to its hockey roots as well as its respect for Canadians of all backgrounds, including the Toronto Raptors’ biggest fan. "We are so proud to open an agency in Canada because it's a market that [Gut co-founder Gaston Bigio] and I, along with our global partners, have always admired, especially from a creative perspective," co-founder Anselmo Ramos told Adweek. "Most importantly, to be able to open Gut in Canada would not be possible without our amazing Tim Hortons clients." Bigio said in a statement: “Our first meeting with Tim Hortons was around the time we were just starting the agency. It was so early that we were still deciding on the Gut logo, and they even helped us pick the right one.” The leadership team in Gut Toronto includes business director Ryan O’Hagan, chief strategy officer Dino Demopolous, executive creative director Brynna Aylward, and director of human resources North America Pam Albert. Aylward was recently promoted from creative director in the agency’s Miami office to executive creative director and will now be based in Canada. The Toronto leadership team will work closely with the agency’s global partners, who are also responsible for overseeing the operations of the Canadian office. Becoming a global network Gut formed in 2017, led by former David co-founders Ramos and Bigio, with the first two offices being set up in Miami and Buenos Aires. The agency quickly expanded to São Paulo and Mexico City. With its fifth office in Toronto, the agency now has a foothold throughout the Americas and the network has made plenty of new hires as of late, including adding new creative talent. “As we grow, our biggest challenge is to keep building the Gut culture across all the countries we're in. This is particularly hard right now because of the pandemic. But regardless of our different locations, our partners and key leadership across the network unite and take the time not only to hire the right talent, but also immerse them into our gutsy culture,” said Ramos, adding that the agency has relied on guest speakers, virtual retreats and its own awards celebration to stay unified across its markets. As for the network’s long-term goals, Ramos told Adweek that he wants Gut to become one of the most diverse, creative and influential independent networks, and opening a Canadian office is a step towards that goal. “With Gut Toronto, our fourth office in three years, we’re building a strong presence in both North and South America. We want to make sure we’re strategically present in key cities in every continent to create a truly lean, global indie network.” Working with other Canadian and North American brands, he said, will help the network grow in other markets around the world. How Tim Hortons Became Synonymous With Canada