IKEA ‘Win at Sleeping’ / Mother

It’s not called Blue Monday for any cheerful reason. The seemingly ordinary third Monday of January symbolically marks the day of the year when we are feeling our worst. First conceived by a clever PR company, the date was chosen based on an array of factors including the likelihood of being in high debt, dismal weather conditions and low motivational levels which traditionally plague life after the Christmas and New Year’s festivities. Brands tried to cheer up consumers in a variety of ways; Thai food chain Busaba offered several dishes for 99p to get people in the door while Fitness First gave away free day-passes to its 58 UK outlets. However, if the thought of another dreary post-Christmas week makes you want to run for a cup of tea and your duvet, IKEA has you covered.

This week saw IKEA begin a campaign for its bedroom range encouraging Britons to put more thought into the art of sleeping. The 60-second ‘Win at Sleeping’ ad by Mother depicts people from all walks of life getting ready for bed in a style reminiscent of pro-athletes prepping for a major championship game. Men are seen applying anti-snoring nasal strips and fuzzy slippers whilst women spread on cold cream, a scene dramatised by a voiceover coaching them to seize the opportunity to make it a great night.

The ad encourages viewers to consider the slight changes they can make to their night-time routines to get a more restful night. The integrated campaign takes IKEA’s ‘Wonderful Everyday’ strapline a step further by establishing the furniture retailer as the go-to place to experience ‘The Wonderful Everynight’. The campaign spans TV, PR, social, CRM, digital and outdoor, and will run until 2 April. A shorter 20-second ad, also directed by Jones+Tino through Stink, shows off the brand’s colourful bedding and the importance of preparing for sleep just as you would prepare for anything else.

At its heart, this is an ad selling furniture by focusing on the people who buy furniture. Time poor mums and the average 9-to-5er don’t relish the opportunity to trek over to the IKEA warehouse to pick out a bed set. But you don’t see any of that in this campaign. Instead the peace of mind that comes from the evolution from flatpack IKEA box to dream bedroom takes centre stage. The campaign promotes the idea of sleeping as a customisable event, instead of a full stop on the end of a long day. Ideally launched in the season where long nights come standard, this ad asserts IKEA as the place to go for everyday utility in the bedroom. We don’t see the shopping experience because that’s not what’s important to this type of consumer; instead, the ad looks at the solutions such a shopping trip can offer. In sum, IKEA has introduced a perfectly timed campaign that gets its audience’s motives right. Now pass the tea and biscuits.