Applebee's is rolling out what it calls a "bold, innovative" ad campaign to replace the talking apple spots voiced by comedian and actress Wanda Sykes that lasted just four months. The casual dining
chain, acquired last year by IHOP, had hoped to cut through the clutter by creating an iconic image, and it thought it had a hit with the apple approach, created by McCann-Erickson Worldwide, that
came out last fall. But IHOP spokesman Patrick Lenow says the campaign has "run its course. As marketing evolves, this has gone a new direction with a new campaign."
New ads broke
earlier this month and are a return to the more traditional advertising seen in the casual dining segment, people sitting around a table having a good time. "This was an opportunity to take our
marketing in a new direction, that was produced by McCann-Erickson -- and they're still on board with us -- and highlights our desire, as the commercial shows, to raise the bar on grill and bar food,"
Lenow says.
IHOP chairwoman and chief executive officer had earlier noted that Applebee's, which spends about 4200 million annually on ads, has "gone back to what we know best, which
is an Applebee's that does things differently than everybody else, positions them well in the category."
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