During the course of Easy to Assemble, the web series set in Burbank’s IKEA store, when Ileana Douglas explains that she is taking a break from acting to bring some “sparkle” to the store while working there, it is hard to tell just how much of the story is a joke. And that’s part of the point.
Douglas approached IKEA with the idea, and the Swedish furniture company gave her great leeway to produce short episodes of her fictional experiences at the store. Douglas eats meatballs, tries to build the furniture, and takes short naps in the displays. She also battles with rival coworkers such as Justine Bateman, who brings Ricki Lake to her store to do a talk show.
Sound absurd? Of course it is, which is why viewers find it so funny and continue to share the episodes with friends. Although the characters wear IKEA shirts, explain that they work for IKEA, and perform virtually all of their scenes within the stores (except when Douglas gets lost in Sweden, of course), at no point do the episodes communicate a traditional advertising message. The series is available on the IKEA website, yet far more people access it through YouTube and other company-unrelated access points.
Furthermore, IKEA takes a hands-off approach to the content. It told Douglas that the series should reflect the core elements of its image: fun, sophisticated, and cheerful. But as Douglas noted, “The only note they gave me … is that they sell frozen yogurt, not ice cream.”
This combination has worked well for IKEA. A recognizable star, and her recognizable friends, ensures that the videos get communicated across multiple channels by enthusiasts, whether of the brand or of the video. Either way, more people are seeing IKEA, and also seeing it as someplace fun that encourages a group of silly actors to spend hours looking for a fictional band named Sparhusen.
Source: Beecher Tuttle, “Ikea’s Hit Web Show: An Entertaining Ad,” The Wall Street Journal, September 7, 2012.
Grewal Levy Marketing News 
In many ways I find the tactics used by Ikea to be unconventional but effective in the new world of Marketing. First, by using online marketing, as this channel is rapidly growing and is constantly being utilized by consumers. Also through the silly videos Ikea can better build a community. The ads give viewers something to talk about either through online comments or word of mouth.These advertisements makes Ikea unique,and can possibly give customers a desire to go back to the website to see if any new ads have been created. Which in turn, gives Ikea larger exposure.
IKEA’s presence in such a web series is ingenious in that it allows the brand to be spread easily through media sharing websites without bombarding potential customers with more advertisements. This is similar to the product placement that has become so popular for the companies that can afford it.
I think it is great to see companies try to entertain their customers through marketing rather than trying to only use informative advertising in hopes of luring in customers. Even when these kinds of advertisements have little relation to the product or service the company may be selling, I have always found it more effective for a firm to grab the viewer’s attention through their marketing practices rather than shoving information down the customer’s throat because if a customer is genuinely interested, they will do their own research on the company. Luckily for Ikea, their marketing both engages the viewers and gives them a glimpse of their products without directly pitching to the potential customers. Marketing strategies like these are definitely the future of marketing and I am sure that Ikea and any other companies that run similar marketing programs reap the benefits for focusing on what the customers want to see rather than trying to force sales with traditional advertisements.
IKEA is serving as a key example of how the most effective use of marketing is by doing things that are out of the ordinary. While this marketing method is highly unusual and even unconventional, that’s what makes it so attractive. Just as the article suggests, it convey’s IKEA’s aim of having an image that represents cheerfulness, joy, and fun. The strategy is engaging, as it encourages potential consumers to come into the stores- even if it’s just to play. Any type of store traffic is helpful for the company, and, while people are eating the foods and playing around in the furniture, they may get inspired to buy something.
Overall, this article shows how modern marketing focuses on projecting an exciting and innovative image for companies, as consumers become more loyal to brands that they can connect with and feel inspired by.