Ikea's new brand campaign touts its commitments to sustainability, diversity and inclusivity

The retailer highlights its benefits for consumers, employees and the Earth in spot directed by Olivier Gondry

Published On
Jan 24, 2020

Editor's Pick

In Ikea’s new brand campaign, its commitments—to sustainability, inclusivity and innovation—are as crystal clear as the glass doors on its popular Billy cabinets. The Swedish retailer is rolling out a new push to reintroduce itself to the U.S market. Called “Why We Make,” the campaign, created with Ogilvy, includes a 60-second spot directed by Olivier Gondry.

As usual, the commercial showcases Ikea products, but also highlights the corporate decisions the furniture brand has made, such as planting more trees to replace those it has used and making sure employees are from a diverse range of ethnicities.

“The better the choices we make in here, the better off we’ll all be out there,” says a voiceover, encouraging consumers to “Make the dream yours.”

These commitments are not new for Ikea, which has been vocal for years about such choices. Two years ago, the brand promised to use only renewable and recycled materials in its products by 2030. The company has also been rolling out smaller-format stores with space-saving products, such as a shop in Manhattan and a store in Vienna that includes trees instead of parking spaces.  Yet the push comes at a time when consumers, and the younger generations who frequent Ikea in particular, are paying more attention to what brands are promising. Activists like Greta Thunberg are shining a spotlight on such commitments.

"The work is about us. But it's also about our customers. We're trying to make things that people can feel good about," said Shideh Hashemi, country marketing manager at Ikea USA, in a statement about the new campaign.

Last year, Ikea reported a 5 percent rise in retail sales to 36.7 billion euros. The brand’s parent company Ingka recently announced a minority investment in Optoro, a provider of returns technology, which it expects will improve its supply chain to produce less waste.

Ikea has also been attempting more sustainability in its marketing. Two years ago, a new brand campaign in the U.S. included fewer catalogs and more digital content.

The new campaign debuts this week. It will run across national channels as well as on connected TV and social networks.

Credits

Date
Jan 24, 2020
Client :
Ikea
Agency :
Ogilvy-New York
US Communications Manager :
Christine Whitehawk
External Communications Specialist :
Marques Davis
Interior Design Specialist :
Charlene Tea
Interior Design Specialist :
Jaclyn Van Wert
Executive Creative Director :
Vicki Azarian
Group Creative Director :
Della Mathew
ACD Art Director :
Monica Apodaca
ACD Copywriter :
Andrew Chisholm
Managing Director :
Claire Morris
Account Director :
Zac Rosenberg
Account Director :
Tillie Fell
Assistant Account Executive :
James Sullivan
Director of Strategic Services :
Leslie Stone
Director of Strategy Customer Engagement and Commerce :
Dan Brenikov
Executive Producer :
Jenna Gartland
Producer :
Josh Kornrich
Producer :
Meg Dibley
Sr. Business Affairs Manager :
Sean McGee
Executive Producer Music :
Michael Freeman
Production Company :
Partizan
Director :
Olivier Gondry
Executive Producer/Managing Partner :
Lisa Tauscher
Line Producer :
Russell Curtis
Editorial Company :
The Whitehouse Post
Editor :
Jessica Mutascio
Assistant Editor :
Alejandro Villagran
Executive Producer :
Caitlin Grady
Producer :
Malia Rose
Color :
The Mill
Colorist :
Mikey Rossiter
VFX :
Carbon
Executive Producer :
Nick Haynes
Executive Creative Director :
Liam Chapple
Senior Producer :
Alex Decaneas
VFX Supervisor / Lead Flame :
Matt Reilly
Flame :
Chihcheng Peng
Flame :
Chris Wiseman
Flame :
Joe Scaglione
GFX :
Max Benjamin
Audio Record / Mix :
Sonic Union
Engineer :
Mike Marinelli
Music :
Storefront Music
Producer :
John “Scrapper” Sneider
Producer :
Adam Elk
Composer :
Vin Alfieri

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