The main message of the "Make Room for Life" design direction is to "break conventions and have the courage to live the life YOU want to live!". To support that message that we needed to build a space that would feel vibrant, unpredictable and open-minded. A framework where many different styles and moods will only contribute to a rich total experience. The solution was to create a festival that in it's varied expressions would mirror the diversity of human beings.

The IKEA Festival was a six day 3.500 sqm exhibition and event space during the Milan Design Week. Between 10am and 8pm each day anyone could enter and hang out as long as they wanted.

Inside the space, an old factory building, multiple events was going on at any given time. Events included talks, concerts and jam sessions, food hacking, workshops, live art, acro-yoga and a design competition. To secure a variation of expressions in the showcasing of 400 new products, we invited three guest designers from around Europe and gave them total freedom to interpret a part of the new design direction in their own 100 sqm space. The biggest area and the centerpiece of the installation was the Soft Spot where 2.000 white curtains created a huge cloud in the ceiling above the main stage that also doubled as a huge chill out area for the visitors.

As this event happened just last months we don't yet have actual results in terms of PR and media impressions. But this is what we do know:

33.000 visitors in six days

Nominated for Best Show in Milan by the official organizer (First time for IKEA!)

Strong indications that this was the most successful PR event to date for IKEA. Dezeen - the official media partner for the festival - posted 18 videos that received 663.633 views & 18.672 engagements that had a total reach of 2,243,069 on Facebook.