For the first time, IKEA partnered with live-streaming platform Twitch to create a two-hour live show with Canadian content creator Bawkbasoup to promote the home furnishing retailer’s new line of gaming accessories and furniture.
The activation was done in partnership with agency Carat, with Bawkbasoup acting as host and touring an IKEA store at night while interacting with viewers. The broadcast also included giveaways and live gaming. Rethink was in charge of the creative concept.
“We didn’t want it to feel like a scripted, two-hour ad, but rather a fun and entertaining experience for both the streamer and their viewers,” IKEA Canada director of integrated media Kristin Newbigging tells MiC. “Exploring an IKEA store ‘after dark’ is a dream for many of our customers so we wanted to embrace that element. And an early read shows that this engagement translated into business results, lifting gaming range sales.”
Carat VP Karen Hrstic adds that “by talking directly to this audience [Twitch users], we helped evolve the perception of IKEA as a place to decorate their gaming space.”
“Gaming continues to grow as an entertainment lifestyle in Canada with 64% playing video games on a regular basis. So by partnering with a highly engaging community on Twitch, we knew IKEA would generate excitement and buzz around their range of gaming furniture,” says Hrstic.
IKEA plans to continue doing similar activations in order to reach a wider audience, according to Newbigging. “We know if we want to continue to grow our audience, we need to expand our media mix and tap into the channels where our target consumers are most engaged,” she says.
The live broadcast was part of a broader campaign that IKEA ran from October to December. The campaign also included videos and ads, which were focused on the company’s products and were posted on YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat. According to IKEA, all videos and ads were produced with a “retro game art style because it’s a nostalgic trend that resonates with millennials and Gen-Z alike gamers.”
