As part of its latest campaign “u up?” campaign, IKEA sent direct messages last Friday to selected Canadians who were awake in the middle of the night, offering them a free mattress. The campaign aims to capture the attention of those looking for better sleep solutions while also highlighting the brand in a competitive market.

About 500 messages were sent to Canadians who were awake and scrolling Instagram between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Some users were offered a free mattress, while all were notified of a 15% discount on mattresses and sleep products until Feb 23. The retailer extended the offer to social media influencers, who helped create additional buzz around the interaction.

The campaign is also being supported by social media promotion and OOH ads, with Carat handling the media and Rethink in charge of strategy and creative. Rethink PR supported PR for the campaign.

Jacqueline Wark, director of marketing communications at IKEA Canada, said the social stunt builds on the company’s efforts to stand out as a brand that offers home products at an affordable price.

In January, the retailer launched the “It’s Actually IKEA” campaign, which drew on high-end lifestyle brand advertising tropes to promote IKEA’s high-quality and affordable design. IKEA aimed to create emotional resonance among Canadians with a holistic video strategy that included OOH, broadcast TV, online video, and social media.

And earlier, in June 2024, the company rolled out “Coming Home” to highlight the low cost and variety of its kitchens while also demonstrating how its products fit into customers’ lives. The campaign comprised of OOH ads, as well as spots on Pinterest and Tiktok to reach an audience that is usually more engaged, according to the brand.

For the “u up?” campaign, the goal was to create resonance among customers as the mattress sector becomes more competitive, Caroline Friesen, partner and group creative director at Rethink, tells MiC. “Making inroads with Canadians looking for better sleep solutions will therein position IKEA as part of solutions for the rest of the home.”

Unlike previous campaigns, Friesen notes that this one differs in its focus on an individual product, when often several products are highlighted at once. However, it is aligned with the brand’s current positioning, which consists of engaging customers where they spend the most time, such as social networks.

“This particular social stunt is consistent with IKEA’s current brand positioning to continually surprise and excite Canadians, with social-first thinking and reaching target audiences where they are: on their phone, late at night,” she says.