IKEA Canada wants to help customers prepare their homes for the holidays, setting itself apart from retailers branding themselves as gift-giving centres.
The holiday ad campaign, created by Zig, includes online and out-of-home advertising, including an attention-grabbing 3D billboard located beside Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway. It features mannequins, seasonal decorations and furnishings offered by IKEA, arranged to form the word “joy.”
“This campaign is to help consumers bring the festive spirit into their homes,” said Mark Aronson, strategic planner at Zig. The life-sized furniture communicates this message to commuters and is more dramatic than a photo could ever be, he added.
Variations of the ad on traditional billboards have IKEA merchandise spelling out the words “Hope” and “Love.”
The campaign was launched early last week and will continue to the end of December.
The online banners feature similar imagery: a bird’s eye view enables web users to see Santa arranging furnishings to spell the word “Joy.” A couple then materializes to relax in their warmly decorated home. The tag appears, “Decorate for the holidays” and the consumer is invited to visit IKEA.ca to learn more. Ads will run in English and French on HGTV.ca, StyleAtHome.ca, CanadianHouseAndHome.com, DecorMag.com and IKEA.ca
During the holiday, there is a strong focus on giving and receiving presents, Aronson said. Spelling out holiday-themed words was a way to extend the “natural message” of the season.
“Home takes on an added importance during the holidays. People are hosting events and want their homes to be comfortable. They want them to be the place where the holiday comes through for everyone,” he said. The media buy was handled by Mindshare Canada.
