The “IKEA Forts” project was born as a real-time response to the new COVID-19 reality, in which people needed support in organizing an interesting home environment for children. The use of social networks made it possible to address quickly and directly the exact audience — families with children, and the easy-to-follow, understandable and accessible to everyone format of manuals — to immediately engage them in action.

Self-isolation during COVID-19 put a lot of pressure on parents to be a teacher, disciplinarian, friend, and everything else. Parents were running out of ideas to keep kids entertained within four walls.

As an expert in creating a better everyday life at home, IKEA set itself a task to offer an easy, affordable, and creative way to help change up playtime for many families staying at home, at a time when people are physically unable to interact with the brand.

The aim of the project was not only to give people a hypothetical idea of how to entertain their children but to inspire action and create “the movement” that will also support IKEA’s image as an inspiring and emotionally meaningful brand.

According to the consumer research data (open sourses), nostalgia was very definitely in the air during the lockdown, as people stayed at home and reminisced about different times. When the world outside is a dumpster fire, what’s better than making a big fort in your house and hunkering down for the day as many of today’s parents did in their childhood looking for feeling comfort and safety.

As a real-time response to the situation, IKEA released the unique project ‘IKEA Forts’ (#IaminIKEAhouse) — six illustrated instruction manuals on Instagram for building a series of at-home forts using some of its most popular offerings like tables, chairs, couches, blankets, comforters, pillows, hangers, string lights and more.

Each at-home fort design mimicked the visual guides of a traditional IKEA manual showing a list of items needed to create the fort, as well as a drawing of the final result.

In this project, IKEA targeted parents of school-age kids, those who had to stay with their kids 24/7 at home replacing all activities of pre-COVID times with home-based activities and entertainment.

To find a solution for them, we gathered consumer research data and found out that one of the most strong feelings people experienced during the lockdown was nostalgia for different times, especially carefree childhood as opposed to the uncertainty and insecurity of today. We chose a handmade fort as a symbol of that safety and fun and offer it as a way to entertain kids.

As people were staying in their flats, and zero budget was mandatory, we couldn’t make standard prints, OOH, or OLV. Therefore, IKEA social networks were chosen as an essential channel for such communication formats as manuals, and for direct and engaging communication with consumers.

Each at-home fort design mimicked the visual guides of a traditional IKEA black and white instruction manual. It shows a list of items people will need to create the fort and a picture of the final result.

These guides were posted once a week on IKEA’s social media, mainly on Instagram.

The campaign lasted for six weeks and covered the whole country.

Reach: 1.6 million people in Russia in total. With zero budget for production and media placement we have received +139% in reach (in comparison with average); Local and international media mentions of IKEA campaign (150 publications), Media OTS was 1 230 858 748.

Engagement: 144 user’s photos with at-home forts implementations just in 4 days since the start of the campaign, thousands of photos till the end of it from all around the world (+391% in interactions in comparison with average). 79 835 – of posts in owned SM channels, 5 336 – of Stories in owned SM channels, 34 847 – of posts in engaged influencers IG accounts.

Sales: not applicable. Nevertheless, this project maintained brand awareness and strengthened the love for the brand when stores are closed.

Value for consumer: branded entertainment, easy-to-install solutions