Tim Hortons has pulled a series of Enbridge (NYSE:ENB) ads appearing on in-store TV screens in the wake of a customer campaign to boycott the donut chain for promoting the energy company.
SumOfUS, an activist group based in Washington, D.C., launched a petition against the ads June 1 and gathered more than 28,000 online signatures before Tim Hortons pulled the ads June 4.
Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project — a proposed $6.5-billion pipeline transporting 525,000 barrels of oil daily between northern Alberta and Kitimat, B.C. — has been meet with fierce resistance from some First Nations and environmental groups.
The petition page implored Tim Hortons to “ditch your Enbridge ad campaign or we'll ditch you.”
Tim Hortons did not formally announce it was removing the ads from its TV screens.
Instead, a June 4 tweet from the company’s official Twitter account told multiple customers threatening to boycott the business that “we value your feedback and the Enbridge advertisements are no longer airing on Tims TV.”
However, the move also drew backlash from customers upset Tim Hortons succumbed to pressure. After the ads were pulled, the #BoycottTims hashtag began trending across Canada and politicians quickly pounced on the company’s decision.
Defence Minister Jason Kenney tweeted he supported constituents who work for Enbridge and other energy companies operating in Canada, while Conservative MP Michelle Rempelm tweeted she agreed it was time to draw the line.
