Realistic Advertising With IKEA

IKEA’s commercials have gotten a lot of industry buzz for their portrayal of the “honest” side of life. Rather than portraying perfect families in their shiny homes, the “Where Life Happens” campaign features relatable situations, such as adoption or divorce.

In the latest IKEA Sweden spot, a mother comes home to an apartment full of messy teenagers. She is overwhelmed and takes refuge on the apartment’s balcony. It is only after a heartwarming turn of events that IKEA products, with prices, are presented.

You can watch the spot here.

So why do these ads garner so much attention from industry insiders and consumers alike?

Everything, from the 4:3 aspect ratio to the simple yet moving music, works to build a consistent voice that carries from one ad to the next. As Matt Tanter, CSO of Grey London, says, “they have found a voice that uses a magical realism to create beautiful, funny, moving stories.”

The touch of reality and consistent voice help IKEA’s ads stand out amongst the clutter. This strategy can be utilized by other brands to increase likeability and brand recall.

The Argument for Awareness

Back in the day, the primary goal of advertisers was to raise awareness for their brands. In recent years, the focus of advertising has shifted to engagement, but it may be beneficial for brands to go old-school and once again drive awareness.

Now that consumers are engaging with various media all day every day, it can be hard for advertisers to break through the clutter and be noticed. In Adweek, Brian Sheehan makes the argument that advertising is no longer about persuading consumers but rather about being remembered.

Oftentimes it is the most innovative brands that receive the most attention. Advertising becomes similar to publicity for disruptive brands such as Tesla Motors, “the most valuable car company in the world despite being one of the smallest in sales volume.” T-Mobile also cultivates awareness with near constant innovation, making it “one of the hardest brands to compete with in the telecom world.”

Driving awareness from the bottom up has also been a successful strategy for companies such as Blue Apron and Glossier. These brands have demonstrated that they understand what consumers share and recommend to each other.

Considering the current cluttered advertising landscape, it would be wise for advertisers to make awareness their primary objective again rather than engagement.