Tim Hortons - Summer Toffee
Subtropic were appointed to launch a summer-themed social and in-store campaign for Tim Hortons’ new Toffee Flavoured range. I collaborated with Subtropic during the production phase, helping build out the creative execution across three sizes for social, OOH (Out of Home), and POS (Point of Sale).
The visual approach centred on compositing a series of elements beneath a warm, sun-kissed retro aesthetic — one rooted in youth and nostalgia, designed to tap into the positive emotions people associate with summer.
Process
When I joined the project, several sections of the 3D animation were already in progress. These provided a strong foundation to work from, with some elements later revised and refined as the project developed.
My early focus was on framing and composition. With a clean and simple creative concept, camera movement became a key tool for building visual interest. I used the motion of the 3D elements to drive the pacing, framing, and rhythm of each camera move, with minor adjustments applied later in After Effects.
In Cinema 4D, I used curves to control the acceleration of each camera movement relative to the speed of the elements on screen. In the opening scene, the cloth moves quickly — pushing the camera back to build anticipation and a sense of excitement — before slowing into the final reveal of the full Toffee range.
Animation Curves in cinema 4D
Design & Compositing
Visual interest was built through dynamic layering. As the cloth sweeps across the screen it masks the opening message, achieved through straightforward masking techniques.
Separate render passes of the donuts and drink were produced in Cinema 4D. The variation in focus across passes created visual depth between the text and the Toffee product elements, and gave the team the flexibility to make quick adjustments in After Effects without needing to re-render the 3D assets.
Matted Objects
Matted Objects
Post effects were the foundation of the lo-fi, nostalgic look and feel. The low-fidelity aesthetic worked in our favour as render times stayed fast without compromising the quality of the final output.
A strong colour grade was applied, layered with noise and grain, chromatic aberrations, and lens flares to build the finished composite. Boosting highlights, bloom, and contrast mimicked the limited colour processing of vintage film cameras, reinforcing the retro feel throughout.
The lens flare served a dual purpose functioning as a visual anchor for composition while adding another layer of lo-fi texture to the piece.
No Grade
Graded
Output
Three creative outputs were delivered across three sizes and variations:
Promo Reel (9×16, 20 seconds)
With sound design and music, used for paid media as part of the wider campaign.
Reel (9×16, 12 seconds)
A shorter cut without sound, used for in-store POS and OOH displays to promote the new Toffee range.
Large Wide Format (5400×1920px)
No sound, used in-store at POS. This format required a full rethink of the layout and composition to work effectively at the wider aspect ratio.
Reel (No Sound)
Promo Reel (with Sound)
