Mac's is a franchised chain of convenience stores (dépanneurs in Quebec) that operates in Ontario and Western Canada. Mac's is owned by Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. and is based in Laval, Quebec.
Mac's Milk Limited was incorporated in Ontario on April 4, 1962 by Kenneth and Carl McGowen. The name was changed to Mac's Convenience Stores Limited May 7, 1975. On July 5, 1963, Silverwood Dairies Limited acquired 40% of the shares of Mac's Milk Limited, and increased their holding to 80% in March 29, 1968, and 100% on January 12, 1972.
In 1976, shares of Royal Oak Dairy were purchased by Silverwood Dairies Limited, including operations of convenience stores under the Bantam and Astro names. In 1994, most Mac's stores in Quebec were sold to Couche-Tard (who would eventually end up buying them in 1999), rebranding Mac's stores in Quebec as Dépan-Escompte Couche-Tard. Silcorp, the parent company of Mac's, acquired assets of rival Beckers Milk in November, 1996. Effective April 14, 1999, Silcorp shares (including the Mac's and Becker's brands), were purchased by Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
In May 2006, Mac's introduced a memorable advertising campaign for their Froster beverage. The campaign centers on the Whack flavour and uses double entendres involving the word, such as "I think I could have a Whack every day if I could," as well as humorously censoring "Whack" in the commercials. In May 2007, Mac's introduced a controversial advertising campaign for their new WTF Froster beverage. Targeting primarily net savvy teenage boys, the campaign includes posters and a series of viral internet video ads. The controversy stems from the use of the WTF internet slang acronym, a poster of a nun and goat bowing in the presence of a cup of WTF and video ads portraying sexual innuendo and bizarre or questionable conduct. In response Mac's has pulled the more controversial ads and has stated that it intended WTF to refer to "What's the flavor?".
Mascot
The original mascot for Mac's was a cat with a tam. In 1999, it was changed to the winking owl (seen above), which was the mascot for the 'Winks' chain of convenience stores.
