The Social Pancake – IHOP Embraces Content Marketing

I remember eating the massive chocolate chip cookie pancake at the International House of Pancakes (before they got cool and changed their name to IHOP). As a child, that would be some sort of reward for academic performance, or another birthday. But back then we didn’t snap pictures of me eating one of IHOP’s monstrosities, to share with friends.

Now, people do. 

IHOP has been “pancaking” it up for years–54, in fact.  Today they’ve launched a new, consumer-focused website. The site’s user generated content is fueled by the day’s popular social channels, and by all accounts, folk’s are sharing. The home page features and highlights social engagement with posts and tweets from IHOP fans that are fed live, in real time so every visitor can see what is being said in the IHOP social communities. The company’s designers say the plan is to pair UGC to menu items, as well.

Guests can also explore the menu in depth, choose individual items as their favorites, and share these in their own social channels.  Each guest visit to the website will be served with customized content based on their preferences and favorites for a truly unique, highly personalized experience that is focused on them. And the company has released two mobile apps for iPhone and Android that allow guests to access information on the go.

Kinda all makes me want to have a chocolate chip pancake.