IKEA PREOWNED/SECOND-HAND MARKETPLACE

IKEA - HIDDEN TAGS (Case Study) | Campaign 1. Background The first IKEA store in Portugal opened in 2004 and was an immediate success. But long before that, during the 1980s and 1990s, many Portuguese consumers traveled to Madrid, Spain, to bring IKEA furniture into their homes. Now, 20 years later, IKEA remains a beloved brand in Portugal. However, there’s a global perception—shared by many Portuguese consumers—that IKEA furniture doesn’t last. That couldn’t be further from the truth and runs counter to IKEA’s core philosophy. As IKEA founder Ingvar Kamprad wrote in The Testament of a Furniture Dealer: “Throw-away products are not IKEA. Whatever the consumer purchases shall give long-term enjoyment.” At IKEA, affordability is at the heart of everything we do, but that doesn’t mean our products aren’t built to last. In fact, durability and functionality are key pillars of our product development process. At the IKEA test labs, all products undergo rigorous testing across a wide range of standards to ensure they stand the test of time. So, how can we reinforce this brand narrative and prove to consumers that IKEA furniture is designed to last? How can we shift perceptions, regain trust, and continue to retain loyal customers while attracting new ones? 2. Creative Idea – IKEA HIDDEN TAGS We challenged the entire country to hunt for hidden tags on the IKEA furniture in their homes. Participants were invited to find, photograph, and send us their tags as part of our quest to discover the oldest piece of IKEA furniture in Portugal. 3. Insights & Strategy A 2023 Ipsos APEME study revealed that 57% of clients strongly agree with the statement: “Furniture is no longer seen as something for life.” Many people believe that IKEA furniture isn’t built to last — but do they really know how long they’ve had IKEA pieces in their homes? We found a way to show them that their furniture has been around longer than they thought. Anyone who has assembled an IKEA product has probably noticed a small hidden tag. Most people ignore it, as these tags remain out of sight after assembly. But what many don’t realize is that each tag contains valuable information: the product name, origin, ID, and most importantly, its production date. With this data, we can calculate the age of any IKEA item. To prove the durability of our products, we set out to find the oldest piece of IKEA furniture in Portugal, offering a €2000 reward to the winner. Participants sent us photos of the tags on their IKEA furniture — essentially, birth certificates for their products. Using these submissions, we calculated the average lifespan of IKEA furniture in Portuguese homes, reinforcing our durability claim. To join the promotion, participants needed to be IKEA Family loyalty members and share a brief story about their beloved, long-lasting IKEA furniture. 4. Execution We launched a fun multi-channel campaign — spanning TV, out-of-home (OOH), and digital platforms — inviting people to search for and photograph the hidden tags on their IKEA furniture. The goal? To help us find the oldest piece of IKEA furniture in Portugal, with a €2000 IKEA gift card as a reward. Leveraging influencers and digital media, we showed participants how to locate, read, and photograph the tags on their furniture. A dedicated landing page on the IKEA Portugal website allowed people to: Submit a photo of the tag they found Provide their contact details Share a brief story about their IKEA furniture piece We collected and analyzed all submissions to identify the oldest IKEA item in Portugal. The results — including the average lifespan of IKEA furniture in Portuguese homes — were then shared through the brand’s digital channels, reinforcing IKEA’s commitment to long-lasting products. 5. Results 4573 IKEA furniture tags and life stories received (exclusively from IKEA loyalty program members); 55 years: Age of the oldest IKEA piece of furniture found in Portugal, taking us back to our 1969 catalogue; 18.5 years: Average age of IKEA furniture (based on the analyzed tags received); +14% increase in sales vs. YTD; 31% sales from new IKEA loyalty program members; +42% growth in IKEA loyalty program membership (95.5K new members). People realized they had owned IKEA furniture for longer than they thought, helping to restore their trust in the brand. We received hundreds of stories from participants who admitted they were surprised by the longevity of their IKEA furniture after discovering the dates on the hidden tags. During the campaign, sellers on second-hand market platforms even began using the hidden tags as a selling point to highlight the durability of their IKEA products. Credits: - Entrant Company: Uzina - Brand: IKEA - Advertising Agency: Uzina - Production Company: Playground; Mute Sound Design