It turns out we were punked. Or maybe bunked. When IHOP said it was changing its name to IHOb last month—with the “b” standing for burgers—the restaurant chain was just, well, pulling everyone’s leg.
On Twitter today, IHOP admitted as much, saying, “We really abbreciate the burgerin’ loyalty, but we’re back @IHOP again.” The ploy was bait to get the world talking about its burgers—and we all bit.
We really abbreciate the burgerin’ loyalty, but we’re back @IHOP again.
— IHOb (@IHOB) July 9, 2018
The blan was to get beople talking about our new burgers. And it worked. Look at us, two silly pancakes talkin’ about burgers.
— IHOP (@IHOP) July 9, 2018
Whether it was a failed attempt to rebrand itself, or in fact the elaborate promotional campaign the company claims it to be is unclear. But the @IHOB Twitter account didn’t exactly catch on. It had gathered fewer than 5,000 followers in the past month, wheras @IHOP still had more than 76 times as many.
And the tweet announcing the return to the iHOP brand was also somewhat neglected, with only 316 likes at the time of publication, compared to the 45,000 likes that the tweet announcing the burger-themed name garnered.
Dear Internet, we abbreciate your batience. Now let’s see who guessed right. B-hold!!!!! #IHObpic.twitter.com/Fh3SkZ7s3Y
— IHOP (@IHOP) June 11, 2018
Call it baloney or publicity, either way the move did brought the restaurant chain more attention than it’s had in years.