IKEA’s proprietary Life at Home report uncovered a deep connection between our homes and our overall well-being. In short, the way that we feel is connected - more than we might think - to our homes. So with anxiety around personal wellbeing at all-time highs, our relationship with our home is more important than ever.

This was an opportunity and a unique challenge for IKEA: to reframe the role of the home and showcase its powerful ability to uplift our collective well-being, but doing it in a way that would resonate with people from all walks of life, beyond the Canadian market. We needed to land a universal human truth while simultaneously breaking through the clutter - demonstrating IKEA’s globally famous “twinkle” in a way that connected with our audience on a deeper level. Our key measurements for the campaign were “Emotional Meaning” and Brand Recall.

The film was shot in Slovenia, under a real-life bridge which was then replicated in-studio. All elements of cinematography, including lighting, framing, and composition worked together to create a believable world for our troll and his story to live. Particular attention to detail was needed to seamlessly integrate the real elements of the bridge and surrounding environment, the practical troll costume, and the CGI magic that brought it all to life. Each moment captured allows the audience to identify with our troll - and the world surrounding him - as they witness the transformation of his home and himself. As they redesign the living space together with help from IKEA, there are moments of cinema magic that demonstrate the emotional power of a home coming to life all around its occupants.

Initial industry press has reached 5M+ impressions, alongside our highest level of the “Emotional Meaning” metric. The campaign surpassed a lofty goal of 70% Brand Recall, and drove Top of Mind Awareness to its highest level in 12 months.