Wait, Can We Also Run a Campaign This Way?

Have you ever had one of those nights where sleep just won’t come, no matter how hard you try? Imagine tossing and turning, staring at the clock, wishing for a peaceful night’s rest 😥 Now, what if something as simple as an ad could help you drift off to sleep?

That’s exactly what IKEA did with their "Sleepiest Print Ad Ever." Instead of just showing furniture, they connected with people on a deeper level.

Oh! I mostly see furniture ads for IKEA. How unique is this campaign?

Let's see.

Campaign Overview

• Campaign name: The Sleepiest Print Ad Ever (SÖMNIG)

• Campaign dates: Launched in April 2018

• Industry: Home furnishings and lifestyle

• Target Audience: Adults in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly those struggling with sleep due to fast-paced lifestyles and urban stress.

Campaign Objectives

1. Promote better sleep:

   IKEA wanted to show that they care about people's well-being. Poor sleep is a big problem in the UAE, with many people not getting enough rest. This campaign aimed to show how IKEA’s products can help improve sleep quality.

2. Stand out with creativity:
   Most print ads are simple and often ignored. IKEA’s wanted to make something so creative and helpful that people would not just notice it but use it daily.

3. Connect emotionally with customers:
   Sleep is a personal and emotional topic. By addressing this issue, IKEA aimed to build a deeper connection with its audience, showing they understand them.

4. Increase brand recall:
   IKEA wanted people to remember their brand whenever they thought about sleep or bedroom furniture. Creating an interactive ad that physically helped people sleep made IKEA unforgettable in this context.

5. Encourage trial of products:
   The ad was a small example of what IKEA offers to improve sleep. The hope was that people who enjoyed the ad would visit their stores to try out their beds, pillows, or other sleep-related products.

What was the campaign about?

The campaign strategy revolved around solving a real problem - poor sleep. Rather than simply advertising products, IKEA aimed to create something that could directly improve the lives of its audience.

The team turned a regular print ad into a functional sleep aid as a solution. They placed the ad in the April 2018 issue of Good Magazine, a widely-read one in the UAE, so it reached the UAE adults with sleep issues.

The ad featured lavender-scented ink, known for its calming properties, to help users relax and prepare for sleep. It also included a micro speaker that emitted white noise when activated, another proven technique for improving sleep quality.

To make the ad reusable, IKEA included a USB port for recharging the speaker so people could use it for more than just a night.

This creative approach made the ad memorable and interactive. Readers were encouraged to cut out the ad and place it beside their bed.

The strategy emphasized IKEA's core brand values throughout: a commitment to improving customers' lives through thoughtful design and affordable solutions.

Results

• The ad gained media attention, with many people and publications talking about how unique and useful it was. They praised it for its creativity and practicality, which made IKEA stand out in the advertising world.

• Users who interacted with the ad reported positive experiences, with many saying that it helped them relax and fall asleep. This success in real-life use helped strengthen IKEA’s reputation as a brand that cares about its customers' well-being.

• By creating a print ad that was more than just an ad, IKEA ensured that people would remember the brand whenever they thought of sleep. The innovative nature of the ad made IKEA unforgettable in this context.

Conclusion

The "Sleepiest Print Ad Ever" campaign exhibited IKEA’s creativity and commitment to improving customer well-being. IKEA captured attention while building an emotional connection with its audience by turning a traditional print ad into a functional sleep aid.

The campaign's innovative approach strengthened IKEA’s brand values, which resulted in increased brand recall, positive customer experiences, and media coverage.