Situation: Inflation refers to a sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over time. Currently, global inflation is being driven by various factors, including supply chain disruptions, increased demand, and government stimulus measures. In the Middle East, rising food and fuel prices have contributed to inflation, which is expected to persist in the near term.

Brief: Find an interesting way to say IKEA furniture is affordable.

Objective: Fight back the decline of the purchasing power given by inflation driving more sales. Remind our audience that IKEA provides affordable furniture solutions, without compromising on quality. The target audience for this campaign was current and potential IKEA customers who are price-conscious and value-driven.

Affordability and simplicity are IKEA's fundamental values and reasons to believe in the brand’s target, that’s why the core creative idea was based on a simple message and visuals of the brand around the affordability topic, in moments of inflation. A simple yet powerful message was designed to earn the attention of our audience through topics that were relevant to them: affordability and inflation. Through simple visuals taken from IKEA catalogue images, the cost of the campaign was non-existent, while making the campaign as on-brand, easy and fast as possible to publish the campaign. Helping customers quickly and effectively understand the brand's position on inflation at the same time that IKEA spread its mission: To create a better everyday life for the many people.

Inflation is a widespread negative phenomenon in society. Consequently, it always brings bad sentiments with it. But IKEA wanted to change the perception a bit and bring a bit of positivity in times of inflation and spread a more relief message. The main message was to show how inflation can make products even more affordable, by using the products whose prices didn’t increase over the years to the present. The target audience was the general IKEA target: middle-income individuals and families who are looking for affordable and stylish home furnishings and decor. For the creation of the assets, we used existing catalogue images of the products, making the campaign cost-free while speeding up the response to this consumer concern. The distribution of the message occurred across all of IKEA’s channels: social, out-of-home and insertions in the economy sections of regional newspapers.

The PR implementation started with a wide research and inflation analysis and the public affairs impact that was having on retailers worldwide. After, we established the key message: “Inflation makes (IKEA product that hasn’t rise its price) even more affordable.” Developing the content and materials to effectively communicate IKEA’s position on inflation. Next, we identified our target audience for this campaign and chose the channels and tactics to reach our audience: social, OOH and newspaper insertions. We decided to set the timeline of the campaign earlier in February when inflation was a huge subject at the beginning of the year during the post-Christmas season. The scale was initially intended for the Middle East, but the campaign spread to other regions due to the international nature of the inflation. We also monitored the media coverage, social media engagement, website traffic and business impact. Especially in the highlighted products.

According to our recent report, the Inflation-Proof campaign has generated an impressive 713 million impressions through its media output. The campaign has successfully reached a wide audience and has been estimated to have earned 3.2 million Dirhams in media coverage across the market.

The Inflation-Proof campaign was successful in educating the target audience about how IKEA managed to maintain affordable prices despite inflation. Through effective messaging and media outreach, the campaign helped the audience understand that the prices of many iconic products remained the same. By showing the price timeline that IKEA kept unchanged, the audience gained a better understanding of how IKEA products became more affordable due to inflation.

The "Inflation-Proof" campaign has proven to be effective in driving key business outcomes for IKEA. With a 26% increase in web traffic compared to February 2022, the campaign has successfully generated greater visibility and interest in the company's products and services. This increase in traffic has translated into a 5% increase in online revenue, demonstrating that the campaign has attracted more visitors and converted them into paying customers. Furthermore, the campaign has helped to increase brand reach by 3%, further solidifying the company's position in the market and enhancing its reputation. Overall, the "Inflation-Proof" campaign has delivered strong results and a testament to the effectiveness of well-executed and low-budget marketing strategies.