Ikea campaign moves from home improvement to life improvement

By Rosie Baker | 16 September 2013
 

Ikea says it is rising above price-focussed marketing and introducing a “provocative” new brand proposition: enjoy life more.

It launches today (16 September) and will be the framework for the retailer’s marketing for the coming year.

Ikea marketing director Rebecca Darley told AdNews the campaign marks an evolutionary shift in the brand’s marketing strategy.

“It’s about encouraging Aussie families to take a less regimented approach to family life," said Darley. "It’s a provocative proposition. We’ve looked at family life, the stresses. We want families to take a step back and breathe. It’s a societal point of view that we’re challenging.”

Ikea gleaned its insights from qualitative and quantitative research, she added. Parents and children had identified the stress of balancing home life with work, school and running around between the two.

The $7m campaign includes a two minute online film and a new online content hub. Ikea has recruited four families from its Ikea Family loyalty programme and carried out makeovers on their homes and gardens to help them enjoy life a bit more. Videos and galleries of the activity appear on the site and consumers are invited to upload their own images and video to get involved with the brand.

TV ads will follow in the coming weeks. The creative concept takes the perspective of a nine-year old boy called Teddy, issuing a rallying cry challenging Aussie families to live a “more spontaneous” way of life, according to Darley.

“It’s about an emotional connection to Aussie families. There aren’t any competitors in this space talking about a higher order. Everyone is too busy with offers and price comparison to take a higher order and challenge things," she said. 

"We’re creating a better life – it’s more than selling furniture.”

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