We partnered with A&E and their long-running hit series Tiny House Nation to create the first-ever, fully-functional Tiny IHOP.
The 3-part branded series followed THN stars Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth as they took on their tastiest build yet, documenting the project from concept to build to the final reveal as mini episodes on A&E’s Home.Made Enthusiast block and fyi network. Our team oversaw the entire design and construction process to fit a working commercial kitchen and dining space within a 170 sq ft tiny home. We maximized every inch of the interior with pancake-inspired decor and design elements from IHOP, including hidden storage compartments and extra seating for customers. We even made custom tiny menus with the Tiny IHOP’s special food offerings.
CASE STUDY VIDEO
SHORT-FORM BRANDED SERIES
EXPERIENTIAL SWEEPSTAKES
After the build, IHOP offered fans a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience with an exclusive dinner series in partnership with Yelp, giving pancake lovers the opportunity to eat inside the Tiny IHOP with a custom mini-menu inspired by popular IHOP dishes, which sold out in minutes. An additional nationwide contest flew one lucky winner out to LA to experience the Tiny IHOP for themselves.
PRESS
Our friends at A&E’s ‘Tiny House Nation’ outdid themselves on this project, creating the world’s first International Tiny House of Pancakes – blue roof and all – so that we can offer an intimate dining experience to a select group of our super fans,” continued Haley. “Turning a 4,000-plus square foot restaurant into a 170 square foot space certainly poses its own set of challenges, but the team came up with an ingenious design to retain the integrity of a full-sized IHOP while adding new, fun elements for guests to discover in the Tiny IHOP.
“Tapping A&E’s enthusiastic audience and expert talent, this three-part approach to storytelling gives IHOP’s biggest fans a chance to engage with the brand in a truly authentic — and delicious — way,” said David DeSocio, Executive Vice President, Ad Sales Partnerships, A&E Networks. “It’s a unique on-air and experiential collaboration that brings the best of both brands to the table.”
RESULTS
The campaign went viral on social media with huge audience engagement, celebrity shout outs, and coverage by nearly 100 media outlets generating over 900 million impressions. The partnership was a big success for IHOP, who got a branded content franchise aligned perfectly with the viewers of THN, and a miniature, instagram-worthy replica of their iconic restaurant, ready to hit the road as a unique experiential activation for consumers. The campaign delivered big stacks of brand awareness and exceeded IHOP’s goal to flip expectations and cement their brand in pop culture.
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