Earlier this year, IHOP temporarily “changed” its name to IHOb, the international house of burgers. It was received with much resistance and seemed to blow up the internet. We now know that the campaign was simply a marketing stunt to get people aware of the chain’s burger options, as confirmed by the brand itself.

While IHOb was met with its fair share of resistance, the campaign certainly worked in getting people talking. But no matter what side of the booth you sat on, there’s no denying this was a bold move. What can other brands learn from this?

We asked members of the Forbes Agency Council for their thoughts on what can be learned from this marketing tactic. Their best answers are below.

1. Prepare For Backlash

Bold moves require planning and involve plenty of risk. If you’re nervous about backlash and perception, then a bold move isn’t right. IHOP was prepared for the backlash (maybe not as much), and the risk was worth it to connect socially with younger consumers. They successfully promoted IHOP as a player in the burger game and returned to regularity without alienating too many core customers. – Katie Schibler Conn, KSA Marketing + Partnerships

2. Let Disruption Work For You

The pushback that IHOP received was all planned under their agency and creative team’s direction. Marketers and brands should learn to be bold in their campaigns. Standard creative work doesn’t generate growth anymore. The name change shifted the IHOP brand’s whitespace, which succeeded in generating buzz and more burger orders at every franchise location. Convincing the entire organization to be bold paid off. – Aaron Henry, FOUNDRY512

Read More at Forbes

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