Ikea understands the value of both creative advertising and a good night’s sleep. The brand combined the two aims in a novel campaign by Swedish agency Åkestam Holst NoA.
Earlier this year, the retailer held an open call for “sleepfluencers” who could apply to receive free roller blinds to darken their bedrooms while they dozed.
The blinds had a dual purpose, however. The outside of each one showcased a product in Ikea’s sleep range, such as its pillows, duvets, or mattresses, alongside the tagline: “Good nights make better days.”
“People could turn their windows into ads while they sleep, sharing Ikea’s message in a very real way,” Åkestam Holst NoA creative and partner Rickard Beskow told ADWEEK. “This mix of functionality and creativity felt like the perfect fit for Ikea and its belief in democratic design.”
The agency released an initial recruitment film through paid media to encourage people to participate and received an overwhelming number of responses, choosing the recipients of the rollers at random.
A film running across paid channels thanks the participants and shows some of the windows that were transformed during the campaign.
While the effort has focused on the Swedish market, Beskow said he sees the potential to expand it globally.
“This was a way for us to give back to our customers while also gaining visibility in a new and innovative way,” Ikea Sweden marketing communication leader Jonas Westberg said in a statement. “The campaign is a fun and unconventional way to help people sleep well while also promoting our affordable range to even more people.”
Åkestam Holst NoA also worked with Ikea for an unconventional out-of-home campaign this summer, when it installed a Nissedal mirror into a billboard that used GPS to reflect natural light onto outdoor cafe seats, granting extra sunlight in Sweden’s unpredictable weather.
CREDITS