Ikea eases the holiday stress in Rethink’s escapist seasonal spot

If the Griswold family (and later, the Berzatto family) taught us anything, it’s that the holidays can be stressful. Ikea Canada leans into that theme in its 2023 holiday spot from Rethink, featuring people stealing moments away from the hustle and bustle—to the sounds of Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now.” “We looked at the work out there, and the pressure it put on us all to live up to the expectations of the season needing to be a certain way,” Aaron Starkman, chief creative officer of Rethink, told Ad Age. “We thought it would be great to do a campaign that celebrated the wonderful part [of the holidays] but also acknowledged the part where we all need a break from it all at some point. It was also a natural place for Ikea to fit in—as Ikea provides the items you need to both throw the party, and escape from it.” Here’s the resulting :60, which rolls out this week. It was directed by Rachel Morrison. The work definitely tries to find that balance between acknowledging the downside of the holiday craziness while still upholding what people love about the season. Several U.K. advertisers have also experimented with lightly anti-holiday messaging this year—likewise pointing to the stress of holiday prep. (The state of the world, where anxieties are high in general, may have something to do with this.) The balance is handled well here, and it’s not always easy to pull off. This month’s M&S campaign in Britain, in particular, drew some scorching criticism for trampling on tradition at a time when people still cling to it, even if deep down they might like something different. In the Ikea spot, the theme extends to the music. While lyrically apt, the Tiffany track is also notable for what it’s not—yet another piece of holiday music. “We loved this song from the beginning as part of the idea but weren’t sure we could get it. And weren’t sure it would work once we got to the edit, so we kept our options open,” said Starkman. “But we loved the cheekiness of it. The playfulness of it allowed us to deliver the message about taking a break but also keep it fun. We purposely avoided holiday music. We wanted a fresh take on the holidays from brief to execution.” The featured products—the bathmat, bed and stool, all of which help out holiday escapees relax for a moment—feel a bit superfluous to the story here, but are fairly unobtrusive as far as it goes. “The holidays are one of the busiest times of the year, and as much as we anticipate and treasure celebrating with family and friends, at some point, we all need a little break,” said Jonelle Ricketts, head of marketing at Ikea Canada. “This year’s holiday campaign is all about showing how Ikea can help create those spaces within any home that are perfect for taking a little breather from the mayhem of the holiday season.” The campaign includes TV, cinema, OOH, digital and social and will run through Christmas Eve.

Ikea eases the holiday stress in Rethink’s escapist seasonal spot

Featured Stories