IHOP
Holiday Celebrations Campaign
Role: Creative Lead
Core Domain: Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Marketing, Seasonal LTO Activation, Multi-Platform Digital & Social Strategy
User Journey Scope: Full Funnel (Mass Awareness & Social Hype → Location-Based Intent & Navigation → Direct Store Traffic & Conversion)
Executive Summary
As Creative Lead for IHOP’s national Holiday Celebrations campaign, I directed the digital creative strategy, visual execution, and social integration to drive foot traffic into restaurants during the key holiday season. The campaign centered on promoting three limited-time offer (LTO) seasonal pancake varieties alongside a holiday turkey dinner, driving appetite appeal by emphasizing unique seasonal ingredients and festive menu items.
Building upon IHOP’s digital design systems and tactical execution frameworks, I led the creation of an end-to-end digital ecosystem. This spanned website redesign modules, targeted sub-pages (including dedicated Breakfastarian messaging and gift card promotions), high-profile rich media display ads, geo-targeted mobile activations, custom Snapchat filters, custom Twitter GIF content, email marketing, and a live-streamed Facebook event inside an IHOP restaurant.
Technical & Professional Scope
| Categorization | Details & Competencies |
|---|---|
| Role & Focus | Creative Lead (Digital Campaign Strategy, Art Direction, UX/UI, Social Content, Dynamic Ads) |
| Domain Scope | Seasonal LTO Promotion, QSR Digital Activation, Multi-Channel Social & Mobile Integration |
| Cross-Functional Stakeholders | Account Leads, Copywriters, Social Media Strategists, Production Team, Media Buyers (CBS Sports, Waze), IHOP Brand Team |
| Tactical Deliverables | Website Homepage Modules, LTO Info Pages, Breakfastarian Landing Page, Rich Media Banners, Custom Snapchat Filters, 24-Hour Twitter GIF Marathon, Waze Location Ads, Facebook Live & YouTube Video Assets, Email Marketing |
| Target Audience | Festive Diners, Families, Holiday Shoppers, IHOP Brand Enthusiasts (“Breakfastarians”) |
| Lifecycle Stages | Awareness (CBS Sports Rich Media, YouTube Video, Facebook Live) → Engagement (Snapchat In-Store Filters, Twitter #BreakfastFriday) → Intent/Traffic (Waze Navigation, Email LTO Promos, Gift Card Messaging) |
Key Initiatives & Strategic Impact
A. Digital Ecosystem & Web Touchpoints
- Homepage & LTO Information Pages: Designed high-converting homepage modules and dedicated campaign pages highlighting ingredient photography, seasonal appetite appeal, and secondary messaging such as holiday gift cards.
- Breakfastarian Targeted Content: Created a specialized landing page tailored to IHOP’s core enthusiast fan base (“Breakfastarians”), celebrating all-day breakfast culture during the holidays.
- Email Marketing Integration: Designed promotional email templates highlighting the limited-time holiday menu to drive repeat visits and gift card purchases.
B. Social, Live-Stream & Video Strategy
- In-Restaurant Facebook Live Event: Directed digital content for a live broadcast filmed inside an active IHOP restaurant, driving real-time social engagement during the holiday season.
- YouTube & Social Digital Video: Developed promotional video assets distributed across Facebook and YouTube to showcase holiday menu items and drive campaign awareness.
- 24-Hour #BreakfastFriday Twitter Activation: Created and deployed 24 distinct GIFs—releasing one per hour on Black Friday—to capture holiday shoppers seeking early morning and late-night fueling.
C. Geo-Targeted & Dynamic In-Store Interception
- Location-Locked Snapchat Filters: Designed custom, geo-fenced Snapchat filters that could only be unlocked when guests were physically inside an IHOP restaurant, driving social sharing and user-generated content.
- Waze Navigation Partnership: Integrated custom branded location markers and contextual ads on Waze to intercept drivers and redirect holiday travelers into nearby IHOP locations.
- High-Impact Rich Media Display: Designed dynamic rich media banner ads running across premium placements, including CBS Sports, capturing high-volume holiday sports viewer traffic.
Workflows & Governance
- Digital Alignment: Leveraged established IHOP digital campaign patterns and visual standards to ensure brand consistency across web, social, and mobile environments.
- Multi-Agency & Platform Coordination: Orchestrated creative asset execution across social platforms (Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Twitter), media partners (CBS Sports), and navigational apps (Waze).
- Drive-to-Store Focus: Aligned all visual assets, messaging hierarchy, and interactive elements toward a single primary KPI: driving foot traffic and appetite appeal during the high-volume holiday sales window.
