IHOP Is Changing Its Name Back From IHOb, And People Are Not Amused
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IHOP, the ubiquitous acronym for “International House of Pancakes,” shocked the world last year when the chain announced on Twitter that it was changing its name to IHOb — leaving pancake lovers in virtual distress at what the rebranding could mean. Although it was widely speculated that the “B” would stand for the more inclusive “breakfast,” eventually it was revealed to have been a marketing stunt to promote a new line of all-beef burgers the company was launching.
Now, nearly one year later, “IHOb” has announced that it will be changing the name back to IHOP — a ploy that seems misguided at best especially considering that the chain literally already did that weeks after the burger promotion. How can you change back the name of a thing that already changed back? “What could the P be? Find out June 3,” the IHOP Twitter account posted on Monday, adding “We heard you” in an animated graphic.
To the contrary, it would appear that IHOP heard no one, or at least not the groans and eye-rolling the first time they pulled this viral marketing stunt. So it goes without saying that people do not give solitary shit what the “P” stands for, given the sarcastic guesses, savage jokes, and memes that followed the big announcement.
Even Carl’s Jr. jumped into the fray with a sick burn:
Given the reception to round two of this stunt — not to mention the chain’s unfortunate Mother’s Day tweet from earlier this month — it would appear that IHOP may want to rethink its social media strategy. Or just #DeleteTwitter altogether.