IKEA
Keeping the love alive
The IKEA love and loyalty centers on the unique in-store experience, filled with discovery and fun. However, the pandemic forced a shift to online browsing, threatening IKEA's relevance. Without a competitive advantage in e-commerce, IKEA must keep its brand alive by reminding fans and clients of their love for IKEA.
Problem Illumination:
For lovers absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Unable to drive people to the store, IKEA had to find a way to strengthen its emotional connection to its customers and rapidly accelerate the shift to e-commerce. But how to remind people about a love they can only feel in store? 73% of shoppers overall said they missed shopping in person. When asked why, the majority (73%) pointed to its tactile aspects, like being able to touch and sample products, and the feeling of spontaneous discovery it offers (71%).
Perspective Shift:
The most powerful way to activate a good memory
is through our senses.
Adjusting to a world overturned by the global pandemic, consumers were rapidly embracing the convenience and expediency of e-commerce to satisfy an ever-broadening range of their needs. Yet being forced to rely more on the hyper-efficient, rational, and transactional was making them forget what they love the most about the IKEA experience.
Strategic Unveil:
Create a box that reminds our loyalists
of the reasons why they love the IKEA experience.
We designed a sweepstakes to bring the big-box experience of shopping at IKEA to customers’ doorsteps in a small “Store-in-a-Box.” Upon opening, customers could see, hear, smell, taste, and touch everything they would experience at IKEA. The contest was exclusively available to IKEA Family members, driving loyalty program signups. We teased the sweepstakes through owned social assets driving to a landing page where they could enter to win. To further build intrigue and drive signups, we also distributed boxes to major media outlets and influencers who promoted the sweepstakes on their platforms.
Deliverables:
Consumer Online Interviews
Desk Research
Ideation Workshop
Concept Testing
Creative Strategy
Activation & Communication Plan
Awards & Recognitions:
Gold Effie Home and Appliances
Jay Chiat Awards, Bronze
“IKEA to give away hundreds of meatball-scented candles”