Our brief was to turn around the negative publicity of the IKEA catalog’s cancellation into a net positive. But more than that, we needed to take the inspiration that IKEA fans had always found through the printed catalog and manifest it in a more modern, and readily accessible way that would continue to inspire even once the printed catalog was gone. In this way, we leveraged the existing idea of the printed catalog (to inspire millions with innovative solutions to improve their homes) as a springboard to a more digitally integrated idea (to inspire millions with an innovative way to experience the final IKEA catalog).

The format of audio-first media, both via podcasts and audiobooks and even newer platforms like Clubhouse, have seen an incredible spike in popularity, thanks in part to changing consumption habits as well as lifestyle adjustments made with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, in 2020 and early 2021, the desirability of content that could function not only as entertainment, but also as a source of relaxation, distraction, and connection was made a priority by millions who were working to find ways to navigate the stresses of the global pandemic alongside growing cultural tensions during a dramatic election cycle and a growing movement toward racial justice and equity. Because of this we knew the time was ripe for a very specific type of audio content to meet the moment of a true human need while also satisfying a business problem.

A huge part of our PR strategy included an emphasis on the sheer audacity of what we had accomplished. To transcribe the entire 286-page catalog from cover to cover we had to write over 64 pages of copy with product descriptions for the over 10,000 items and nearly 70 legal disclaimers, all to create an immersive and inspiring 3-hour and 41-minute auditory experience. Said more simply, we did something absurdly and intentionally difficult to provide our fans with a simple experience that reflected our shared passion for the soon-to-be extinct catalog. In addition to appeal to a broad audience, we tailored this messaging to do just that, with a simple and clear construct (IKEA has done something incredible and fun for its fans) that could be delivered with a simple hook (the IKEA Audio Catalog is now a podcast).

To transform the catalog into audio form, every one of the 286 pages of the catalog was converted into an audio script, totaling over 60 written pages and nearly 2,500 lines of written copy, including product details, aesthetics of the spaces shown, descriptions of the people inhabiting those spaces, transcriptions of written tips, improvised commentary, and even legal disclaimers. Once written out, the prologue and thirteen chapters were recorded, edited and mixed, all resulting in an audiobook/podcast that was nearly four hours long. Sound design was then utilized throughout the experience to increase listener engagement as well as provide surprising and unexpected moments to break up longer sections of the catalog.

Once the fully mixed catalog was ready for launch, we uploaded it onto three separate platforms where they were made available for free download or stream: Audiobooks.com, Spotify and even YouTube.

In addition to the 485,000+ minutes listened in the first two weeks, the story of The IKEA Audio Catalog landed over 416 mentions across broadcast (233 clips) and digital press outlets (183 articles), plus over 315 million earned media impressions, all for zero dollars of media spend. Some of them include: CNN, ELLE Decor, ABC, GQ, The Hill, USA TODAY, Trendhunter, Quartz, CNBC, Input, Apartment Therapy, Architectural Digest, Fox News, MSN, The Drum, and many others. Countless local news stations picked up the story as well, in markets both big and small including: PIX11 (NYC), FOX17 (Michigan), ABC6 (Massachusetts) and FOX59 (Indianapolis).

Furthermore, at a time when IKEA was struggling with negative customer satisfaction due to supply chain problems, the IKEA Audio Catalog provided a much needed positive shift of attention off of the difficulties stores were having to keep products in stock and instead provided an entertaining story that was shared via multiple media outlets.