Social media marketing to millennials can be a tricky feat. There’s lingo to be learned, creativity to be nurtured, plus strategy to be planned and executed.
However, even when embracing these elements, things can go wrong. Terribly wrong. International House of Pancakes (IHOP) has been in the news recently for their off-color attempt at humor on social media, particularly on Twitter.
It’s not clear whether they have an intern working behind-the-scenes or if they deliberately are trying to be controversial (if they are, it is working).
But, in comparing their presence with their fast-casual, pancake-wielding counterpart, Denny’s, they are falling short(stack).
While both IHOP and Denny’s seem to be aiming at the millennial audience on social media, they are approaching the process in different manners.
With this in mind, here’s a look at what IHOP is doing currently and how they could improve, coupled with how and why Denny’s is taking the (pan)cake in terms of their social presence.
Here’s a sample of IHOP’s tweets:
Taking it a step further, some of their tweets go as far as conveying sexual undertones:
In transitioning to Denny’s social presence, there’s a lot of which to take note. Not only is Denny’s active on traditional channels like Facebook and Twitter, but they also have a Tumblr blog that’s hilarious.
Similar to IHOP, Denny’s is going for a fun vibe. The reason they succeed is they take images, current events, and jokes, and apply them directly to their brand. Their blog is rife with puns, too.
Even though most of Denny’s posts are silly, there is context behind them. Plus, they’re all presented in a manner that is easily interpreted and appealing. This content doesn’t run the risk of being offensive.
Denny’s also succeeds in having their online personality resonate during conversations with fans. An Imgur gallery was created highlighting some of these wins.
Denny’s is well poised to be one of the companies setting the bar when it comes to marketing to millennials.
Taco Bell is known is be a leader in this area, but with Denny’s personality and creativity, they’re not far behind.
[“source-searchenginejournal”]
