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. Using social media, we could quickly reach out to our audience, coming to the rescue at the right time and provoking a flurry of positive responses, expressed in the creation of forts according to our manuals.

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.

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.

The project attracted attention and engaged people through a combination of accurate insight and a very simple and relevant brand response to the urgent need of people during a pandemic.

With the activity, IKEA wished to inspire its consumers to remember times they felt comfortable and safe themselves at their homes creating similar forts in their childhood and support their family and kids in the difficult times copying forts from their past today with IKEA solutions.

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.

As far as the campaign idea was to support people in the difficult situation, the IKEA social media channels have been primarily selected as the most essential, fast, and exact way to deliver the message. 1 post with 1 at-home fort idea has been placed a week. A total number of posts — 6 with various fort designs (castle, fortress, wigwam, house, cave, and camping tent).

Key message: #IaminIKEAhouse

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.

Media Outputs: 1.6 million people reach in total, 150 publications in international press (small local project received great international coverage), 1 574 560 – of posts in owned SM channels, 921 264 – of stories in owned SM channel, 699 303 – of posts in engaged influencers IG accounts.

Target Audience Outcomes: +391% growth of a total number of interactions in comparison to average post on IKEA SM, 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.

Business Outcomes: not applicable as the objective of the campaign was to entertain and emotionally support IKEA lovers who have been locked at their homes during quarantine. However, all incredible results in coverage and interactions have been achieved with zero budget.