IKEA is exploring the theme of smart interiors for tiny homes in its latest campaign, “Make Small Spaces Big,” in the UK and Ireland. The new effort by Mother is revolving around the idea that any small apartment can be turned into a comfortable and functional space with the help of bright furnishing solutions and wisely designed products from the Swedish retailer.
The campaign is inspired by the fact that the British live in 15% smaller homes than people in other Western European countries. Moreover, newly-built houses have declined in size by as much as 11% over the past decade, so the lack of space is a topical problem that can be elegantly solved by IKEA.
In the “One Room Paradise” advert, the retailer tells a story about a single mother, doll named Mandy, and her son, Liam, who live in a “micro” flat in the high-rise toy building. They don’t have much space, but smart home furnishings from IKEA help them “squeeze” maximum out of each square meter. Thanks to this, they comfortably perform their activities of daily living as well as enjoy skateboarding and playing table tennis inside their apartment.
The campaign includes the clip in two formats, 60-seconds and 2:30. The spot features the modern version of Aretha Franklin classic One Room Paradise track, sung by soul singer Elayna Boynton, who performed on the soundtrack for Django Unchained. As part of the promotion, IKEA has also released a touring clip, an MTV Cribs-like video, that allows to take a closer look at the solutions Mandy used in organizing the space in her flat. The video has been put on a dedicated page on IKEA’s official website, which also delivers a bunch of tips on how to deliver the most function of awkward office spaces and small gardens (now, without gnomes). The effort is also supported by outdoor and press ads that illustrate “the positive effect” of using space-efficient furniture.
«‘Make Small Spaces Big’ demonstrates IKEA’s understanding and expertise in helping people to optimize any space in their home, no matter how big or small, through the use of IKEA’s clever products and solutions,” commented Peter Wright, IKEA UK and Ireland marketing manager. “We hope to inspire people and to show that we are more relevant than ever to help with consumers’ everyday challenges, and ultimately for more consumers to choose IKEA more often for their home furnishing needs.»