Ads critical of ads are somewhat out of the ordinary. But most Swedes have mixed feelings about commercials, especially the disruptive ones. A tempting topic for IKEA, since it’s true to life.

The “bad ad ad” was placed adjacent to action films and series on TV, VOD-channels and in cinemas – and always as the first ad in the commercial brake.

The ad plays a little mind game with the audience. Just like the viewer the actors in the ad are being interrupted by commercials in the midst of their TV-watching. The actors does just what the ad-critical viewer would like to do, they leave the room. But most viewers will stay. And as they watch the ad (about people leaving a living room because of bad ads) IKEA takes the opportunity to price some of the furniture in this empty room.

That IKEA understands life as it really is, with all its joys and frustrations, is at the core of the concept "Where life happens". By connecting to the conversation about ad fatigue in an entertaining and unexpected way (bordering to self-critique), IKEA wants to create an emotional bond to its customers that goes beyond what an ad campaign usually is capable of.