IHOP got a lot of blowback last week when it announced it is changing its name to IHOb. The company is well known for its pancakes and people in this country don’t like anyone messing with their breakfast food. They finally announced what the ‘B’ stands for and the reaction is almost exclusively negative.
Pancakes are synonymous with IHOP. But, the restaurant chain has dropped the pancake part of its name and swapped it with burgers! The marketing department has just destroyed 60 years worth of branding. People are going to get fired over this!
Dear Internet, we abbreciate your batience. Now let’s see who guessed right. B-hold!!!!! #IHOb pic.twitter.com/Fh3SkZ7s3Y
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 11, 2018
The reactions were sudden and fierce. People don’t like change, particularly when it comes to breakfast food.
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https://twitter.com/JKdarkknight/status/1006147000365142016
They've always had burgers around here this is incredibly stupid give them 1 year before they switch back
— illmusick🙈🙉🙊 (@illmusick83) June 11, 2018
This big change comes at a pivotal time for the company. In February, it was announced that between 30 and 40 IHOPs will be closed. Last year, 23 IHOPs shut their doors. Now, it appears that the company is trying to reinvent itself, but at what cost?
Perhaps the most on-point comment is about how the ‘B’ is going to soon stand for bankruptcy! IHOP trying to identify as Denny’s or even McDonald’s is turning people off. I predict they will return to their name or have to quickly shutter their doors.
B- bankruptcy
— Geo (@mrgeovan) June 11, 2018
The Twitter reviews of IHOP burgers before the name change are not very encouraging. Sounds like they have inferior burgers, so why are they changing their entire brand around mediocrity?
— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) June 11, 2018
A&W Restaurants joined in on the fun of mocking IHOb’s announcement. They pointed out how nonsensical this name change is in a hilarious tweet.
Inspired by the International House of Burgers announcement, we are also changing our name (Please do not ask what it means — we don’t know either.) pic.twitter.com/0HPQtQirHn
— A&W Restaurants (@awrestaurants) June 11, 2018
IHOb is trying to assure people that they will still be serving pancakes. These fools have failed Marketing 101. When you’re explaining, you’re losing. Their campaign should have been clear enough that this many of their customers weren’t worried their former signature dish was gone.
This is all bound to end with an apology and a bunch of pink slips. They began losing customers within minutes of this announced name change. Denny’s is likely to be the big winner of this debacle.
There are 800 billion burger joints in this country, not a smooth move. I guess I will make my pancakes at home now.
— Michelle E (@Shelly70461) June 11, 2018
Share this if you think someone should be fired over this!