Ikea DM’ed people in the middle of the night—those who replied got a deal on a mattress

Rethink’s ‘u up?’ campaign targets people between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., who might not be getting the best night’s sleep

Published On
Feb 19, 2025
Ikea direct message to Instagram users that reads "u up?"

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Here’s a fun, time-specific stunt from Rethink and Ikea Canada, targeting consumers precisely when they might be wishing they had a better mattress. 

Last Friday night, Ikea sent DMs to dozens of people on Instagram who were scrolling on their phones between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The messages simple read, “u up?” Those who responded got an offer for 15% off a mattress. Rethink told Ad Age that some 200 DMs were sent on the night.

Screen shot of Ikea's DMs to consumers

The contextual social stunt was accompanied by similarly minimalist billboard, using the same four-character query to deliver the same offer.

Ikea billboard that reads "u up?"

“We wanted to find a way to engage with people when sleep and mattresses are top of mind, like when they’re literally having trouble sleeping,” said Robbie Percy, group creative director at Rethink. “So, the age-old ‘u up?’ message is a very relevant, fun and playful way to do that.”

“We’re passionate about helping Canadians curate each and every room in their homes, and we especially want to help them get the good night’s rest that they deserve,” said Jacqueline Wark, director of marketing communications at Ikea Canada. 

Carat handled media for the campaign.

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