IHOP is relying on mobile advertising and Facebook to help spread the word about its new Griddle Melts products and encourage consumers to try them.

The company is running the campaign within Pandora?s iPhone application. IHOP has been investing in mobile over the past year to drive awareness, as well as foot traffic to its locations.

?The IHOP campaign is a very attractive, mouth-watering and colorful campaign that is extremely well designed and executed,? said Simon Buckingham, CEO of Appitalism, New York.

?Certainly the attractive product imagery makes me want to sample a hand-crafted Griddle Melt as soon as I possibly can,? he said.

Mr. Buckingham is not affiliate with IHOP. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Mobile mission
IHOP is running expandable and interstitial mobile ads that feature images of its new hand-crafted Griddle Melts.

The mobile ads invite consumers to learn more.

When users tap on the ad, they are redirected to the company?s Facebook page where they can ?Like? the brand, see what others are saying, browse any upcoming events and browse images.

Although this campaign is simple, it is also effective.

The main goal of the initiative is to drive Facebook "Likes" for iHop. And, the company does just that.

Past efforts
IHOP is no stranger to mobile.

Over the holidays, the company let consumers buy digital gift cards and send them electronically, along with a customized message.

Furthermore, IHOP has a mobile site that consumers can access by entering http://www.ihop.com on their device?s browser.

?The new IHOP ad has a great tagline with ?Everything you love about breakfast,' and this ad shows us everything we love about mobile advertising,? Mr. Buckingham said.

"The only thing I'd change would be to have less blank space at the bottom of the ad between the tagline and the ?Learn More? box,? he said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York