U UP?

IKEA - U up? (Case Study) | Campaign Background: Canadians believe they need to spend a lot to get a comfortable mattress, with the average budget exceeding $1,000. This perception poses a challenge for IKEA, whose mattresses are priced at a fraction of that cost. Instead of being seen as a great deal, many consumers question their quality, assuming they’re “too affordable to be comfortable.” To shift this mindset, we needed to get Canadians to try and experience IKEA mattresses firsthand—proving they are not just well-priced, but genuinely high-quality. We focused on reaching people in the middle of the night, when they were lying awake on an uncomfortable mattress that had cost them a fortune. Creative Idea: On Valentine’s Day, IKEA playfully slid into Canadians’ DMs with a classic late-night “u up?” message, surprising them with a dreamy deal on mattresses. Between 11pm and 5am, those who responded received a discount on an IKEA mattress, with select participants delighted further by receiving one for free. The cheeky stunt reached sleepless Canadians in their most relatable moment, turning an unexpected interaction into a limited-time 15% offer on mattresses and sleep products. Complementing this, contextual out-of-home ads near IKEA’s downtown Toronto store were live from 10pm to 12am, targeting condo-dwellers who were still awake to see them. Insights & Strategy: With many Canadians overlooking IKEA’s mattress range, we aimed to engage them at the exact moment they needed us most—late at night, when they were tossing and turning on overpriced, underperforming beds. Our strategy was to tackle the perception of “low quality” head-on by putting IKEA mattresses directly into people’s hands, while using humour and timing to reframe how they thought about comfort, value, and sleep. Execution: Using IKEA’s trademark humour, we turned a simple promotion into a flirtatious, unexpected dialogue that humanized the brand. By sliding into DMs on Instagram with a bold “u up?” on Valentine’s Day (February 14), we tapped into the playful, late-night text trope, sparking engagement in a way that was both novel and memorable. Those who replied were rewarded with a 15% discount on mattresses and sleep products, while select fans received a free mattress. The stunt was amplified by contextual OOH, strategically placed near an IKEA location and live only during late-night hours, ensuring visibility to sleepless condo residents still awake. Results: At the time of submission, it was too early to measure sales results, but the engagement impact was clear. By February 21, 2025, IKEA had sent over 500 DMs to Canadians, generating more than 2,500 interactions. The campaign was shared globally thousands of times, garnering millions of views and impressions, and featured in both marketing trades and mainstream media outlets. Beyond enthusiastic consumer reactions, competitors—including Canada’s leading mattress retailer—and even unrelated brands like Durex, chimed in online. This wave of attention reinforced IKEA’s reputation as a playful, innovative force in marketing, positioning the brand at the center of the cultural conversation about mattresses and sleep. Credits: * Agency: Rethink / Toronto * Media Agency: Carat / Toronto * Client: Jonelle Ricketts; Jacqueline Wark; Samantha Loosley; Agamemnon Spiridoulias; Ruby Rasaei; Darcy Greaves; Alicia Carroll * Client / Brand: Ikea * Art Directors: Rachel LeBlanc; Ryan Cookish * Associate Creative Directors: Rachel LeBlanc; Ryan Cookish * Chief Creative Officer: Mike Dubrick * Chief Strategy Officer: Sean McDonald * Copywriter: Julie Day-Lebel * Creative Director: Karine Doucet * Global Chief Creative Officer: Aaron Starkman * Group Creative Directors: Robbie Percy; Caroline Friesen * Producer: Terri Winter * Strategist: Emma Bayfield * Account Director: Tori Zenko * Account Supervisors: Rachel Rava; Queenie See * Group Account Director: Kiara Wilson * Head of PR: Meredith Burns * PR Account Director: Kristel Dupont * PR Coordinator: Christina Avril-Dieudonne * PR Manager: Kaitlyn Vian * PR Specialist: Claire Tam * Public Relations Account Director: Chenda McKissick * Public Relations Specialist: Tara Lush-Benson * Studio Manager: Todd Bennett