Dive Brief:

• Ikea unveiled its first global marketing campaign with a theme of affordability and preserving a sense of fun amid the cost-of-living crisis, per details shared with Marketing Dive.
• The effort, titled “Do Try This At Home,” profiles an array of customers who realize their passions with help from Ikea products, including an older gamer and a teenage girl who wants to put on a guitar performance for her friends without bothering her neighbors.  
• Messaging includes a “Home can do it” creative motif and tagline developed by Ingka Group, Ikea’s top franchisee. “Do Try This At Home” is the first major work for Ikea from McCann, which was appointed as the furniture retailer’s global marketing partner in September.

Dive Insight:

Ikea has worked in recent months to lower prices on its furniture and home goods to appeal to consumers still combating inflation. “Do Try This At Home” translates the price-conscious strategy to the marketing arena, sharing stories of people who can live out their hobbies and passions courtesy of the Swedish retail giant. The brand platform launches first in Italy, Belgium and Finland and will expand to other markets in the months ahead.

Each of the vignettes in the campaign is about defying “Don’t try this at home” taboos, such as following a recipe to the letter or not causing mischief. Energetic spots depict an older man gaming hard with a complex PC setup and an adult and child practicing martial arts in the living room before transforming into anime characters, among other stories. Each scenario spotlights different Ikea products that are aiding in these activities with a callout for price tags to drive home the affordability theme.  

“This campaign represents another step, supporting our customers with inspiration on how home can enable their passions, where they can begin to push the boundaries in an affordable way,” said Licca Li, growth and marketing manager at Ingka Group, in a statement. Ingka Group is the world’s largest Ikea franchisee, representing about 90% of total sales.

The initiative is the first creative fruit of Ikea’s global partnership with Interpublic Group’s McCann, which landed the account last fall following an intensive pitch process. Ikea previously worked with a patchwork of agencies across the 31 countries where Ingka Group operates but is now centralizing work under McCann while still collaborating with some other marketing services providers at the local level. The Ikea business is spearheaded by McCann Worldgroup’s Spain office.

Ikea joins other retailers in addressing the pressure many consumers are feeling on their wallets, even as some of the worst of inflation eases. The concept behind “Do Try This At Home” was driven by research that found 52% of surveyed consumers view home as their favorite place, but 40% worry about finances and disposable income. 

“This new strategic approach is based on people’s need to pursue happiness after a period of enduring negativity, like the ‘permacrisis’ situation that we are all experiencing already for several years,” said Agustín Soriano, chief strategy officer of McCann Worldgroup Spain, in a statement. “This rebellious spirit in all of us searches for affordable ways to celebrate life in every possible way, even though consumers around the world are reducing ‘treat’ spend.”