UK – Ikea, known for affordable furniture and fittings, has taken a luxurious turn with a creative campaign by agency Mother. The 30-second ad introduces a fictional premium brand, Eureka Spiritsis, showcasing Ikea’s kitchen furnishings. The ad humorously parodies high-end advertising, with pretentious scenes and an unexpected twist revealing the brand’s true identity.
Ikea went a step further by organising a fake Eureka Spiritsis brand launch event in London, successfully duping media and influencers. Attendees discovered that the showcased kitchen was, in fact, an Ikea product, showing its high quality despite low prices – an appealing feature amid the current cost of living crisis.
Launched in the UK, the campaign spans multiple platforms, including video on demand, Pinterest, Meta, in stores and online. Ikea also collaborated with etiquette expert William Hanson for a TikTok video on using Ikea kitchens. The goal was to enhance perceptions of Ikea’s quality, design and service, ultimately boosting kitchen sales. In addition to tracking business metrics, Ikea will gauge the campaign’s cultural and social impact.
Strategic opportunity
Adverts, social media influencers and paid content have left consumers overwhelmed by choice in the marketplace. Brands should take a page from Ikea’s book and look towards satire as a communications strategy to cut through the noise and connect with audiences in their own language – as we detail in Subversive Sustainability Ads