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Library/Campaign/Denny’s Zoom-In Tweet
Grade B24 sourcesHIS-00117

Denny’s Zoom-In Tweet

Campaign · 2017 · Niche

26Editable slideCertificate

A pancake photo puzzle earned 30 million impressions, according to Denny’s award entry.

Denny’s

@DennysDiner · Mar 1, 2017

zoom in on the syrup

295.9K3.6K
Original · Denny’s / EP+Co; Seth Hunt credited as Creative Content Producer, Photographer

IHOP

@IHOP · Mar 2, 2017

You don't need to zoom to know that these pancakes are the best👌....

27311
Post · @IHOP on X

Denny’s

@DennysDiner · Mar 24, 2021

Selling tweets for charity @nokidhungry on @Cent. First up: our most RT’d tweet ever. v.cent.co/tweet/83704151… #NFTforNKH

19113
Post · @DennysDiner on X
zoom in on the syrup
@DennysDiner on X
Denny's Got a Bit Too Real With a New Meme, and the Result Is the Brand's Best Tweet Ever
Adweek
Denny's CMO Explains the Strategy Behind One of the Most Popular Brand Tweets of All Time
Adweek
On a random Wednesday, Denny’s published one of the most viral branded tweets ever.
Cory Brinson / LinkedIn
Zoom in on the syrup in this pancake photo for a surprising laugh
TODAY

Spread Score

How it works
Reach26ContagionNo data yetBreadth60Velocity0Longevity526

Numbers

Earned impressions claimed in the award entry
30M
Self-reported · The Shorty Awards / EP+Co and Denny’s
Peak date
Week of Mar 3, 2017
Mar 1 ’17 to Week of Mar 3, 2017
Platforms
4
Started on X
Origin
Seeded
Food & beverage

Mechanics

  • NewsjackingPrimary
  • Press loop
  • Platform jump
  • Transgression
  • Response chain

How it spread

Trace the origin

Denny’s adapted a zoom meme into a pancake puzzle. Replies, forum discussion and press followed; IHOP answered, and KSL posted a YouTube reaction. The agency claimed 30 million earned impressions, and Denny’s offered the tweet as a charity NFT in 2021.

Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Google searchesDec ’16Mar ’17AprAugDecMay ’18AugMar ’19SepJun ’20Mar ’21PeakXPressOpen webYouTube
XPressOpen webYouTube

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. February 2017

    @SNCKPCK precursor · Feb 25 ’17

    SNCKPCK posted a dog photo with zoom instructions before Denny’s adapted the format.[1][2]

    zoom in on the syrup
    Open the first post ↗

  2. March 2017

    @DennysDiner seed · Mar 1 ’17

    Denny’s posted its pancake puzzle at 20:47 UTC, ending with a joke about existential dread.[3]

    Denny's Got a Bit Too Real With a New Meme, and the Result Is the Brand's Best Tweet Ever

  3. @ShinySwordStorm (now @JhariahClare) owner response · Mar 1 ’17

    A user replied at 20:48 UTC, asking who ran Denny’s account.[4][5]

Changelogupdated Oct 13 ’26
  1. 2026-10-13Revised 4 events · Added 4 sources · Archived 6 sources · Added 2 numbers · Revised 17 numbers · Added 3 evidence checks · Summary rewritten · Score 18 → 26
  2. 2026-10-12Added: 16 events, 20 sources · Score 18
Origin
Seeded
Sector
Food & beverage
Region
US
Earned impressions claimed in the award entry
30M
Self-reported · The Shorty Awards / EP+Co and Denny’s
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

McDonald's France: Olympic Curry

Instagram · 2024

66
McDonald's France on Instagram: "Pour 4 ans minimum."

2.5B impressions

Apple Three Minutes

YouTube · 2018

58
An iPhone X-shot film about a train attendant’s brief Chinese New Year reunion with her son.

40M views

Ariel: Dads #ShareTheLoad

YouTube · 2016

53
Why is Laundry only a mother’s job? Dads #ShareTheLoad (Hindi) – Ariel

2B impressions

Chloe Kim’s hangry tweet

X · 2018

44
Olympian Chloe Kim was 'hangry,' and companies rushed in with free food

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How the next thing spread, the week it does.

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Google searchesDec ’16Mar ’17AprAugDecMay ’18AugMar ’19SepJun ’20Mar ’21PeakXPressOpen webYouTube
XPressOpen webYouTube

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. February 2017

    @SNCKPCK precursor · Feb 25 ’17

    SNCKPCK posted a dog photo with zoom instructions before Denny’s adapted the format.[1][2]

    zoom in on the syrup
    Open the first post ↗

  2. March 2017

    @DennysDiner seed · Mar 1 ’17

    Denny’s posted its pancake puzzle at 20:47 UTC, ending with a joke about existential dread.[3]

    Denny's Got a Bit Too Real With a New Meme, and the Result Is the Brand's Best Tweet Ever

  3. @ShinySwordStorm (now @JhariahClare) owner response · Mar 1 ’17

    A user replied at 20:48 UTC, asking who ran Denny’s account.[4][5]

  1. owner response · Mar 2 ’17

  2. platform jump · Mar 2 ’17

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Why it worked

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