Ikea’s Halloween Ads Shoo Away Monsters Hiding Under the Bed

A dark room can seem spooky to kids, especially during the Halloween season when scares are around every corner. And are there really monsters hiding under the bed?

Ikea aims to reassure children that there’s nothing to be afraid of in their bedrooms. The brand’s latest campaign is running in Egypt, the UAE and Qatar through Oct. 31, but will be relatable to parents and kids around the world.

A trio of 30-second films, created by Ogilvy‘s agencies in the U.K. and Germany, provide horror movie-style scores and setups, with the sound of owls hooting or the wind howling.

But as the camera pans in to reveal what might be lurking under the bed, in a dresser or behind the billowing curtains, the lights flip on showing there’s nothing there at all.

The ads spotlight the price of the products for members of the Ikea Family loyalty program and deliver a “Monsters not included” promise, wishing the viewers a Happy Halloween.

“Our newest Halloween campaign is deeply personal to me as a parent, and I believe it will not only resonate with families in the Middle East but also worldwide,” Ikea general manager for marketing, communication, HF and retail design Carla Klumpenaar said in a statement.

“Beyond providing well-designed functional home furnishing products and solutions, we’re offering peace of mind to parents. Let’s say goodbye to monsters together with Ikea.”

Ikea also focused on families in a May campaign titled “Proudly Second Best.” The Cannes Lions-winning spots showed the brand’s furniture being neglected by kids who would rather be held by their parents.

CREDITS

Client: Ikea
General manager, marketing, communication, HF and retail design: Carla Klumpenaar
Regional marketing manager GCC: Dina AlSahhar
Regional marketing campaign PR leader: Binita Roychowdhury
Country marketing manager: Enjy Zaher
Regional digital marketing leader: Nour Safieh”
Regional marketing, PR & campaign management: Houda Sfar

Advertising Agency: Ogilvy UK, Ogilvy Germany
Chief creative officer (EMEA): Dr. Stephan Vogel 
Chief creative officer (Germany): Dora Osinde
Global executive creative director (UK): Daniel Fisher
Global creative director (UK): Juliana Paracencio
Executive creative director (Germany): Felipe Galiano, Matt Longstaff
Senior copywriter (Germany): Rafael Quintal
Senior art director (Germany): Cheryl Lee
Senior designer (UK): Laurence Blake
Senior Arabic writer (UAE): Karim Sherif
Client service director (Germany): Melina Boelen 
Hogarth post production executive producer (Germany): Meike Sinemus 
Video editor (Germany): Dominik Bull

Production company: Flying Eye Studio
Director: Marcello Amora

Music: DaHouse
Music supervisor: Wonder Bettin, Lucas Mayer, Silvio Erne
SFX: Wonder Bettin
Executive producer: Cassiano Derenji

Color Grading: Basis Berlin
Colorist: Pippo Color