As the world’s largest furniture retailer, IKEA has taken big measures to become a more sustainable company. With their newly opened second-hand stores, IKEA aim to build a more circular business model where used furniture can be re-sold in their stores.

But we still needed people to sell and buy more second-hand. In Norway alone, over 3 million pieces of furniture are thrown away each year. A lot of it is from IKEA. We conducted an experiment at Oslo’s biggest landfill and the results was shocking: 70% of all discarded IKEA-furniture could have been re-sold in IKEA’s second-hand stores.

So how could we inspire more people to sell their used stuff back to IKEA, rather than throwing it at the dump?

We collected real unwanted IKEA furniture, along with the brutally honest reasons why it was no longer needed. The Life Collection 2022 was promoted in a disruptive print campaign where IKEA dared to address every possible reason for getting rid of furniture – including death, divorce, bankruptcy and even alcoholism. The campaign ran in the biggest newspapers and glossiest lifestyle magazines, serving as a stark contrast to other high-end furniture ads.

After the launch, there was a clear shift in numbers. Furniture sold back to IKEA increased by 120%, and the amount of used furniture bought in their second-hand stores went up 143%. And best of all, by daring to show the honest and sometimes negatives sides of life, the positive impression of IKEA rose - to an all-time high.

In a wealthy country like Norway, it’s easy to assume IKEA products are thrown away just because they’re inexpensive and “disposable”. But the reality is that life happens. You no longer need a crib when the kid outgrows it, and you don’t want your bed anymore after the divorce. By changing the sustainable conversation from responsibility or “take better care of your stuff” to “we understand you need to get rid of stuff, but let us help you do it right” IKEA was able to promote their second-hand stores in a way that felt relatable and true.