Three towels to form the flag of Germany; two sofas and a stuffed octopus to create the one from Argentina; or a shelf and several boxes to present the one from England. Ikea Canada’s new communication action makes the flags of some of the countries participating in the Soccer World Cup fly, using the products that are part of its catalogue.
Together with the agency Dentsu Creative, it has deployed “Assemble the World”, a visual exercise that uses the Swedish company’s articles to recreate, in Instagram posts, the banners of some nations that are playing in the sports tournament, which has been held since June 11 in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
Each flag is made entirely of Ikea products, from furniture and lighting pieces to home decor, stuffed animals and accessories. Canada’s own, for example, is made up of a bath mat and a shoe tray; while the one in Spain has been recreated with a red table, a towel, candles and a jar of beads.
The publications have adopted a playful approach, such that the brand invites users to discover each individual product that makes up each flag. The action is part of the brand’s global concept “Bring home to life”, proposing an ingenious way to celebrate the elements that make up a home, no matter what country it is in.
“We wanted to offer our customers a special way to express their love and pride for their land, whatever that means to them or wherever they come from.”, commented Jacqueline Wark, Director of Marketing Communications at Ikea Canada, according to AdAge.
Beyond creativity, the action has a commercial component, since it offers the opportunity to buy the products that appear in the images. Taking advantage of the features of Instagram, it has included links to the different products so that users can learn more about them, purchase them and recreate the flags in their homes if they wish.
The agency points out that the action expands its positioning around self-expression in the home and, at the same time, celebrates its consumers by capitalizing on a unique social and cultural moment. “’Assemble the World’ transforms household products into symbols that celebrate the diversity of Canadians at a time when national rivalries, while fun, reach a fever pitch.” commented Scott Tavener, Executive Creative Director of Dentsu Creative.
The campaign will be spread over the coming weeks on social networks, the brand’s own channels and outdoor advertising.
