For years, Ikea positioned itself as “Unboring.” This was standard marketing speak—the notion that even furniture could be exciting. It made some sense for Ikea, a well-liked brand whose products, stylish for their price point, do provoke something of a low-key thrill among shoppers. Still, it was Marketing 101. Take the ordinary, and make it seem extraordinary.
A decade and a half later, in its home country of Sweden, Ikea takes a very different view of ordinary. Ordinary isn’t something to run from, its latest advertising suggests. Ordinary is real. Dressed up the right way, it can even be inspiring—after all, it’s authentic and relatable.
A campaign called “Where Life Happens,” created by Åkestam Holst in Stockholm—Adweek’s International Agency of the Year for 2017, a new award we’ve introduced this…
