“Fan Cakes” Series Takes Guests from the Football Field to IHOP Restaurants
Pasadena, Calif., (November 1, 2023) – Today, IHOP® announced the debut of its new “Fan Cakes” video series featuring student-athletes from universities across the country talking about their favorite pancake stacks. This fall, IHOP partnered with eight college football players who visited restaurants near their campuses and sampled an assortment of pancakes to pick their favorite as their personal Fan Cake. The first video debuts today at ihop.com/fancakes and stars University of Alabama’s Jihaad Campbell (LB) and his Cinn-A-Stack Fan Cakes. All winning Fan Cakes will be featured on the IHOP.com menu and at participating restaurants nationwide for purchase through December 31, 2023.
Pancake lovers and college fans alike can visit their local IHOP to try the favorite stack of their home team football players, including:
- University of Alabama – Jihaad Campbell, Cinn-A-Stack
- University of Arizona – Ephesians Prysock, Cinn-A-Stack
- Boston College – Drew Kendall, Mexican Tres Leches
- University of Colorado – Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, Strawberry Banana Protein Pancake
- University of Florida – Roderick Kearney, Cinn-A-Stack
- Purdue University – Devin Mockobee, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancake
- Texas A&M University – Kam Dewberry, Cinn-A-Stack
- University of Washington – Landen Hatchett, Cinn-A-Stack
“Our IHOP restaurants are a fantastic destination for students and fans to gather pre- or post-game for a meal together. We can’t think of a better way to bring college football fans to the table than by sharing the stories – and pancakes – of their favorite student-athletes,” said Kieran Donahue, Chief Marketing Officer, IHOP. “We are on a mission to spread more joy every day by encouraging guests in each of the eight regions to visit their local IHOP to try their players’ Fan Cake. From quality, fresh menu options to exciting value offers, we have everything fans need to celebrate their favorite college football team, win or lose.”
The campaign was developed in partnership with LEARFIELD – the leading media and technology company powering college athletics – and its original and branded content division LEARFIELD Studios, which produced the video series. Opendorse, LEARFIELD’s NIL marketplace provider, sourced the student-athletes, executed agreements and coordinated participants’ shoot schedules. Fans will get to know the distinctive personalities of their favorite student-athletes who share their candid thoughts on their pancake preferences as well as their passion for the game and their connection to their college community.
“We are proud to collaborate with IHOP on this new campaign that features some of the nation’s top student-athletes to create deeper connections between the iconic restaurant and loyal college football fans,” said Roy Seinfeld, Senior Vice President of National Sales, LEARFIELD. “By facilitating the use of school brands with student-athlete NIL, we are excited to help deliver creative ‘Fan Cake’ content and fan engagement opportunities for IHOP.”
Whether you’re a fan of college football, a lover of pancakes, or both, visit an IHOP restaurant near you to enjoy the winning Fan Cakes. To purchase limited-time IHOP college-branded gift cards or to find the nearest participating restaurant, visit IHOP.com.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES, LLC
For more than 65 years, IHOP has been a leader, innovator and expert in all things breakfast, lunch and dinner. The chain offers 65 different signature, fresh, made-to-order breakfast options, a wide selection of popular lunch and dinner items, including Ultimate Steakburgers, Hand Crafted Melts, Burritos & Bowls and more. IHOP restaurants offer guests an affordable, everyday dining experience with warm and friendly service. As of June 30, 2023, there are 1,790 IHOP restaurants around the world, including restaurants in all 50 states, two U.S. territories and 13 countries outside the United States. IHOP restaurants are franchised by affiliates of Pasadena, Calif.-based Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN).
ABOUT LEARFIELD
LEARFIELD is a diversified and influential media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, LEARFIELD owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 15,000 local and national brand partners, LEARFIELD’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, LEARFIELD enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.