IHOP
Double Dipped French Toast Integrated LTO Campaign
Role: Creative Lead
Core Domain: Integrated LTO Campaigns, Dynamic Web Experiences, Real-Time Dayparting, Cross-Channel Social & Mobile Strategy
User Journey Scope: Full Funnel (Awareness → Dynamic Digital Engagement → Geofenced Drive-to-Store Activation → In-Restaurant Experience)
Executive Summary
As Creative Lead, I provided hands-on UX/UI art direction and led cross-functional creative teams to execute IHOP’s flagship Limited Time Offer (LTO) campaign for Double Dipped French Toast. The business objective was to drive restaurant foot traffic, maximize product appetite appeal, and reinforce IHOP’s core brand differentiator: 24/7 all-day (and all-night) availability.
I directed and personally crafted creative deliverables across web, social media, email marketing, rich display, and location-based mobile tactics. To anchor the campaign, we engineered a dynamic homepage experience featuring real-time dayparting mechanics that automatically shifted background environments across dawn, day, dusk, and night—paired with contextual lifestyle props (e.g., midday school backpacks, nighttime movie tickets) and time-sensitive copy. The digital ecosystem was reinforced by dedicated product pages, a custom “Breakfastarians” culture page celebrating loyal IHOP customers, high-profile rich media (CBS Sports), Facebook/YouTube digital video, native Vine looping creative, geofenced in-restaurant Snapchat filters, Twitter GIFs, and direct drive-to-store Waze ad units (takeover ads, branded pins, and turn-by-turn navigation).
Technical & Professional Scope
| Categorization | Details & Competencies |
|---|---|
| Role & Focus | Creative Lead (Hands-On UX/UI Design, Creative Team Direction, Integrated Campaign Strategy) |
| Domain Scope | Dynamic Web Experience, Real-Time Dayparting, Location-Based Mobile Ads (Waze), Cross-Channel Social |
| Cross-Functional Stakeholders | Digital Designers, Copywriters, Motion Designers, Frontend Developers, Media Agencies, Social Leads |
| UX/UI & Production Workflow | Hands-On Dynamic Web Layouts, Asset Direction Across Email & Display, High-Impact Rich Media, Micro-Content |
| Optimization & Mechanics | Daypart-Driven Copy Updates, Waze Zero-Speed Takeovers & Branded Pins, Geofenced In-Restaurant Triggers |
| Lifecycle Stages | Awareness (Paid Video & Banners) → Engagement (Dynamic Web & Social) → Conversion (Waze Navigation) → Advocacy (Snapchat & Social Shares) |
Key Initiatives & Strategic Impact
A. Hands-On Dynamic Web Experience & Breakfastarians Hub
- Time-Adaptive Homepage Module: Hands-on art directed and designed an interactive homepage module that automatically rendered custom environmental visuals based on the visitor’s local time (dawn, day, dusk, night).
- Contextual Lifestyle Props & Real-Time Messaging: Curated daypart-specific visual storytelling elements—such as a student backpack for midday or movie tickets for night—aligning dining occasions directly with daily routines.
- “Breakfastarians” Customer Celebration Page: Conceptualized and built a dedicated culture and community page celebrating loyal IHOP “Breakfastarians,” driving brand affinity and encouraging repeat in-store dining.
B. Cross-Channel Social, Display & Drive-to-Store Tactics
- Drive-to-Store Waze Mobile Activation: Directed high-intent navigation ad placements including zero-speed takeover ads, branded location pins, and direct turn-by-turn routing to the nearest IHOP restaurant.
- Multi-Platform Social & Native Video: Directed and designed promotional videos for YouTube and Facebook, custom Twitter GIFs, native looping videos for Vine, and social content across Instagram and Tumblr.
- Geofenced In-Restaurant Snapchat Filters: Developed an exclusive location-gated Snapchat filter series that unlocked only when guests were physically inside an IHOP restaurant to amplify organic user shares.
- High-Impact Rich Media & Targeted Email: Directed end-to-end design for rich media banner ads on high-traffic sites like CBS Sports alongside responsive promotional email campaigns.
Workflows & Governance
- Hands-On Design & Creative Leadership: Led design teams across social, display, and email while directly designing core web assets, ensuring visual alignment and appetite appeal across every touchpoint.
- Technical & UX/UI Implementation: Collaborated closely with web engineering teams to deploy dynamic CSS/JS daypart switching logic and optimize media delivery for mobile responsiveness.
- Multi-Agency & Platform Governance: Coordinated across media buying teams, platform leads, and restaurant stakeholders to launch synchronized geofenced assets and turn-by-turn ad triggers.
