IHOP
Facebook Canvas Innovation & Mobile Campaign
Role: Creative Direction & Digital Strategy Lead
Core Domain: Paid Social Innovation, Immersive Mobile Experiences, Drive-to-Store Activation, Multi-Format Video
User Journey Scope: Full Funnel (Awareness → Immersive Social Exploration → Drive-to-Store Navigation)
Executive Summary
Partnering directly with Facebook, I directed the creative strategy and execution for two of the restaurant category’s earliest Facebook Canvas (now Instant Experiences) campaigns. The objective was to pioneer interactive, full-screen mobile storytelling formats that connected emotional brand narratives with high-appeal product showcases, ultimately converting social engagement into physical restaurant foot traffic.
The first campaign anchored IHOP as the ultimate setting for life’s everyday moments, framing its extensive breakfast menu around relational connection. The second leveraged a video-first canvas to highlight IHOP’s LTO Fresh Fruit Crepes and French Toast, using high-appetite imagery and strong value-based price points. Both experiences culminated in automated, location-aware drive-to-store navigation.
Technical & Professional Scope
| Categorization | Details & Competencies |
|---|---|
| Role & Focus | Creative Direction & Digital Strategy (Paid Social Innovation, Mobile Storytelling, Drive-to-Store) |
| Domain Scope | Immersive Mobile Ad Platforms (Facebook Canvas), Video Production, Location Services |
| Cross-Functional Stakeholders | Facebook Agency Partners, Paid Media Teams, Copywriters, Video & Motion Producers |
| UX/UI & Production Workflow | Full-Screen Mobile Layout Architecture, Interactive Carousel & Video Flow, Location Services Integration |
| Optimization & Mechanics | Value Price-Point Messaging, Location-Based GPS Directions, Multi-Format Video Storytelling |
| Lifecycle Stages | Awareness (In-Feed Social Ads) → Engagement (Full-Screen Canvas Exploration) → Conversion (Drive-to-Store Directions) |
Key Initiatives & Strategic Impact
A. Alpha/Beta Social Innovation with Facebook
- Category-First Facebook Canvas Adoption: Co-developed one of the first Facebook Canvas ad deployments in the family dining sector in direct collaboration with Facebook’s creative engineering team.
- Location-Aware Drive-to-Store Mechanics: Engineered a seamless conversion trigger at the end of both Canvas experiences, dynamically serving turn-by-turn driving directions to the user’s nearest IHOP location based on real-time mobile GPS.
B. Brand Storytelling & Product Showcase Execution
- Campaign 1: “Moments & Everyday Celebrations”: Built an interactive narrative connecting IHOP’s core breakfast equity to meaningful life moments. Positioned IHOP as the central gathering place for everyday occasions, blending emotional storytelling with full-screen interactive product carousels.
- Campaign 2: “Fresh Fruit LTO & Video Showcase”: Directed a high-impact, video-centric Canvas experience promoting IHOP’s Fresh Fruit Crepes and French Toast. Combined high-appetite video loops, customizable product options, and prominent price-point messaging to maximize craveability and drive conversion.
Workflows & Governance
- Platform Partnership & Strategy: Led collaboration with Facebook client teams to establish interactive design standards and mobile user flows optimized for early Instant Experience formats.
- Creative & Motion Production: Supervised narrative development, art direction, high-definition food photography, and short-form video production tailored for mobile-first consumption.
- Media & Technology Integration: Coordinated with paid media and developer leads to integrate dynamic location-based store locator mechanics within the social ad units.
