WATCHTOWER/TIM HORTON'S ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 7/31/2006
BROOKLYN, NY - The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, in association with its other legal entities, collectively entered into a limited partnership with Tim Horton's, Inc, finalized Monday morning over the "Daily Text" and doughnuts. The agreement calls for baptized members of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization to enjoy a 15% discount on all Tim Horton's products, in exchange for carrying Tim Horton's-approved brief cases in their field ministry.
"The book bags being provided by Tim Horton's are high-quality and durable, as good or better than that currently carried by the average Witness," said Watchtower representative J.R. Brown, "And each will bear a tasteful advertisement for delicious Tim Horton's coffee. It is our opinion that this ad will not detract from our message, but will instead serve to enhance it. 'They drink coffee, they're better than Mormons' -- that sort of thing."
"We see it as a natural extension of our marketing strategy," said Tim Horton's vice-president of marketing, Shem Lipkoff, "Our studies show that 17% of the coffee we sell is purchased by Jehovah's Witnesses. That's a van-load of coffee. If we can send those happy soldiers of the Lord out there into the field with some advertising on their armor, we think we ought to do it."
Watchtower intends to replace all bookbags in the field with Tim Horton's bags by the end of 3Q 2006, corresponding with the beginning of their fiscal year. Jehovah's Witnesses will be given their discount upon showing their brief case to the cashier, or reciting the code phrase "shun your mother".
Tim Horton's is Canada's largest provider of retail prepared coffee, with a large U.S. presence.
Watchtower and its affiliates are the world's largest producer of unread religious material, and made Forbe's 2005 list of "Companies Probably in Bed With the Devil".