With the Montreal Canadiens having such a good and exciting start to the season, the businesses that have had the good sense of signing Habs players to advertising deals are getting their money’s worth. The hype around the team hasn’t been this high since the Habs made the Stanley Cup Final in the summer of 2021.
A few weeks ago, fast-food chain Ashton released an advert with Russian sensation Ivan Demidov; now it’s time for McDonald’s to launch one featuring goaltender Samuel Montembeault, and for Tim Hortons to debut another featuring captain Nick Suzuki.
Over the last few years, a lot of Canadiens’ players have had their signature dish at McDonald's, but it’s the first time Montembeault is used in one of their campaigns. The goaltender, whose nickname is “Snacks” because he loves to snack, is advertising his “Poutine à tout casser,” a twist on the traditional Quebecois “delicacy” that includes ranch sauce, seasoned chicken and bacon. The advert concept is quite good, with the restaurant chain including the advert sensation “Mike chez Rona” in the clip. While the chain can be found almost everywhere in the world, much of its success hinges on its ability to tailor its menu and marketing to local markets. This advert ticks both boxes.
As for Suzuki, he’s back on the Tim Hortons roster with another advert in French in which he orders a drink and after being asked how the season is going, he says” I believe that it smells like...” words that are sure to get everyone’s attention in Montreal, and with employees and patrons alike hanging on his words he completes his sentence with Caramel and not Coupe. A nice wink to a fan base which can sometimes be overenthusiastic and utter the words “Ça sent la Coupe” much too fast.
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