How much do you hate change? It's trash, isn't it? Change is trash. However, change is a part of life that we all have to deal with. For some people, change is exciting. But, if we're being real, it's trash. And, nothing is more annoying than when a business changes its name.
Why? Why in all that is holy, would you change your name when you're a world-renowned brand? Take, for example, Nike. Nike isn't suddenly going to wake up tomorrow and decide that they are now called Mike, are they? "Why not?" I hear you ask. Well, because they are Nike (or Nike-y, depending on how you pronounce it.)
But, despite my sound expert opinion regarding the issue of change, one famous company has decided to infuriate their entire fanbase by changing their name. IHOP - or IHOB as they are now known - have decided to re-brand and have taken the P out of their name in favour of a B.
Honestly, my blood is boiling imagining the strategy meeting. My teeth are grinding as I picture the "genius" behind this marketing ploy. Steam is flying out of my ears as I envisage them saying: "Hey, I've got an idea... why don't we just flip the P upside down? That would be cool."
And they did it. They actually went ahead and did it.
Earlier this month, the International House of Pancakes announced that they were getting rid of the P for pancakes and replacing it with a B. Understandably, people were lost. What on Earth were they doing? Are Bancakes going to become a thing?
Desperately searching for answers to these questions, Twitter decided that the B in IHOB must stand for breakfast. Understandable thinking, I'm sure you'll agree. From the outside looking in, it looked like IHOB was going to become an all-encompassing breakfast house, shunning its former prejudices in favour of inclusivity when it comes to all breakfast-related products. But we were wrong. We were so, SO wrong.
Here is how the company announced their name change:
Yep. Say hello to the International House of BURGERS.
BURGERS.
Alongside the name change, IHOB announced their new, burger-focused menu that includes seven new varieties of steakburgers including a 'Jalapeno Kick' burger, a 'Mushroom Swiss' burger and a 'Mega Monster' burger.
It would be safe to say that Twitter wasn't into the change of direction and IHOB only angered their fans further be replacing every "P" for a "B" when "reblying" to their followers.
It will be interesting to see how the rebranding works for the company, who have made their name from their delicious, fluffy pancakes. Also, on top of this, the burger market is pretty saturated right now with McDonald's and Burger King leading the way, making it difficult for IHOB to become one of the leading lights. However, if they make some form of pancake burger, then I'm interested.
