Today, IHOP announced a brand refresh with the new campaign, “Let’s Put a Smile on Your Plate,” and introduced Pereira O’Dell as its new creative agency of record. The campaign will officially debut on April 11 in a 30-second and 15-second spot on linear and OTT television. Throughout this campaign, the brand is focused on the quality of food and the joyful atmosphere IHOP provides, additionally the red smile from IHOP’s logo will become a recurring physical element that comes to life across all aspects of the IHOP experience. First seen in the ads, it will then roll out to restaurants, OOH installations, events, and more.
“For over 60 years, IHOP has been serving up smiles with our pancakes, burgers, omelettes, and more,” says Kieran Donahue, Chief Marketing Officer, IHOP. “In the new creative, Pereira O’Dell really captured the feelings guests have when they dine at IHOP, including a sense of togetherness, belonging, nostalgia, and joy.”
“IHOP is one of the few brands that everyone can smile about,” says Natalie Nymark, President, West, Pereira O’Dell. “’Let’s Put a Smile on Your Plate’” is a campaign that will come to life across IHOP’s advertising and marketing, menu, off-premise, and in the everyday dining experience.”
The smiles have always been free. Now the pancakes can be too.
That’s how the first spot announces IHOP’s newly launched loyalty program. The films show IHOP diners enjoying various kinds of meals with a modern rendition of the song “When You’re Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)” originally made famous by Louis Armstrong.
Initially, this idea was inspired by the famous funny face pancakes with whipped cream and chocolate chips that IHOP serves, which led to using a modern rendition of the song by Louis Armstrong. The use of custom music to bridge nostalgia and contemporary, while bringing emotion to the spot – is an element that IHOP can always stand for, like a smile being delivered to a customer.
“For good luck before the final presentation, I brought my 10-year-old daughter to IHOP and when the server put down the smiling pancakes in front of her, she just lit up. Seeing her smile, I knew we had it right,” says Rob Lambrechts, Chief Creative Officer, Pereira O’Dell.
Additional spots will support IHOP’s new menu introductions including Extra Cheesy Omelettes and Protein Pancakes. These spots will showcase the craft behind the food as they center around the griddle, where IHOP’s joy commences. The new campaign will also include online video (OLV); paid social (TikTok, Snap, Meta, Twitter, Yelp).
Pereira O’Dell was awarded the IHOP business through a competitive creative review, managed by MediaLink, and will be responsible for all creative agency record duties from strategy to campaign work from here forward.
