See the best examples of IKEA's RTM!

It's impossible to pass by IKEA's advertising campaigns indifferently! Practically every time they evoke emotions, engage audiences and often cleverly refer to current events.

IKEA is a master of RTM, which has become a hallmark of the brand. Real-Time Marketing, i.e. a strategy based on referring in a campaign to current events, requires above all creativity and treating the topic with a sense of humour. Such creations are liked by audiences the most! On the occasion of another successful IKEA campaign introducing the rainbow doormat PILLEMARK to the market, we recall the best examples of the brand's RTMs.

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IKEA vs. Kanye West

IKEA vs. Kanye West – musical inspiration

Kanye West is a creative rapper. Besides music, he is a designer, a spiritual leader, and in the future who knows... he might become Donald Trump's successor. West is not in the habit of quietly pursuing his plans, hence public declarations regarding planned ventures. After a visit to IKEA, a post appeared on Twitter in which Kanye shared his impressions, pointing to the inspirations the brand provided him, and later on BBC Radio 1 he once again alluded to the brand: "I have to work with IKEA - make furniture for interior design, architecture."

IKEA Australia picked up the topic and a few days later published on Facebook a photo of a Yeezy bed design that resembled the controversial bed filled with wax figures of naked celebrities from West's latest music video. Fans from around the world of course picked up the topic, and the internet was flooded with designs of the virtual collection "IKEA x Yeezy" and "IKEA x Kardashian."

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Harry still available! A royal wedding in the royal family always stirs up many emotions. It was no different this time, when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were to pledge love and fidelity to each other. Many brands decided to capitalise on the media buzz accompanying the event, and the same was true for IKEA, which reached out to disappointed women swooning over the handsome prince. Harry may no longer be available, but the HARRY chair from the Swedish chain's range can already find its place in your home today.

IKEA vs. Balenciaga, or the big fashion world in good humour

The art of reacting to fashion trends and TV series

The fashion world has its own rules, sometimes incomprehensible to ordinary mortals. What is promoted by fashion visionaries as the latest trend of the season does not always initially find recognition among audiences. Balenciaga certainly belongs to the world of high fashion, and it released a men's bag worth $2,145. And we write about this because the bag is similar to the cult IKEA bag Frakta, which you can buy at the popular chain for just 99 cents (about 75 pence)!

Internet users picked up the topic themselves, and the Swedish branch of the company, in cooperation with the creative agency ACNE, released a guide helping consumers distinguish the original IKEA Frakta from the "counterfeit" Balenciaga.

Winter is coming!

The best examples of IKEA's RTM – how the brand reacts to current events

One of the ideas for a successful RTM is to refer to events taking place in popular films or TV series. When most of the globe was following the events of "Game of Thrones" with bated breath, IKEA reached out to all fans by sharing a simple instruction: "DIY: become a member of the Night's Watch".

Other examples of successful references to the series' skirmishes in GOT are presented below:

Marie Kondo and her method for tidiness

Since Marie Kondo appeared on screen, many people divide their lives into before and after learning her methods for keeping the home clean. The inspiring and organised Japanese woman managed to convince the masses that a tidy home = greater order in life, and IKEA also decided to use her practice in its communication, promoting storage boxes and a waste bin. The posters go hand in hand, promoting storage options with the slogan: "If it sparks joy...", while the photo of the bin is captioned: "If it doesn't".

The famous egg No one expected such popularity! The photo of an egg on Instagram was liked 44 million times, surpassing in the likes ranking the previously most popular Kylie Jenner. The egg on Instagram came "out of nowhere", gaining disproportionate fame and heating up social discussion on the topic. Of course, brands also saw advertising potential in it. IKEA, together with the Saudi branch of the agency Leo Burnett, launched a campaign promoting the egg cup TVEKSAM, with the idea being to offer a moment of rest to an egg overwhelmed by the weight of fame.

IKEA vs Mac What do a Mac Pro computer and a vegetable grater have in common? Apparently nothing, but if we look at the design... IKEA also noticed this similarity :)

And what are your favourite RTMs of the brand?

Summary

IKEA consistently builds the image of a brand that reacts instantly and with humour to current events – from music, through fashion, to pop culture. Campaigns such as the guide to distinguishing the Frakta bag from Balenciaga or the reaction to the famous Instagram egg show that RTM is a permanent element of the chain's strategy, not a one-off move. The key is distance and the ability to play with context, which perfectly matches audience expectations.

An interesting fact is that IKEA can also engage in topics requiring greater sensitivity, such as Prince Harry's wedding, where instead of pathos it opted for a playful reference to a product from its own range.