WHEN TWO SUCCESSFUL BRANDS JOIN FORCES

There is probably no one who would not know these two brands: Ikea and Friends. The first one is a global brand of home furnishing that provides people around the world with affordable prices, design, and comfort. The other one is an American comedy series about a group of friends living in Manhattan, New York. Despite the fact that the two brands are completely different, they managed to create something extraordinary. And what happens when such big brands join forces? Magic!

Strictly speaking, Ikea and Friends did not exactly merge, but Ikea was inspired by a successful marketing campaign called “Real life series”. With the help of the most famous living room on television, the Swedish furniture chain has recreated its own almost identical room! The trick was just that the furniture was represented by Ikea-only products.

The entire room was described as a room meant for friends or roommates. In their description, they pointed out that for them the term family goes beyond the traditional definition, so the room is also far from traditional. “Mix and match styles, infuse some color, and build a comfortable, flexible living room, which is a magnet for friends, and where you’ll enjoy with your favorite people in the world,” says Ikea.

But why was this campaign so successful?

Ikea summed up the answer: “We have revived the iconic living rooms of the most popular families of all time, with tons of furniture combinations, in many different styles and sizes – and of course at affordable prices. We have sorted all the products for you so that what you see here, you can easily recreate in your own home.”

The entire project, however, did not only include a revival of Friends living room, but also some other well-known series, including The Simpsons and Stranger Things.

The living room from the famous Simpsons series, Ikea described as space meant not only for watching TV but also for sharing happy moments and having fun. “Combine new colorful and playful patterns and spice up your living room with your functional and favorite pieces of Ikea furniture,” says Ikea.

The living room, which was recreated based on the Stranger Things series, was described by Ikea as a space that tells the story of a family living there. “A family that is not afraid to speak out loud. So let the furniture speak for you. You can express family romance with colorful strings of lights or show off your exquisite collection of books that are perfectly organized in your showcases. Whatever your family loves, you’ll find it at Ikea,” they said.

Marketing campaigns are not easy. Behind them, there is an entire team that works for months in order to be able to present something that seems as simple as a living room. The Ikea team managed to create something magical together. Our favorite series have come to life. With the help of hard work, searching the catalogues and the Ikea website for thousands of items, they were able to choose furniture that represents the series we love to watch.