IKEA’s latest activation tackles an overlooked issue affecting Canadian children: sleep poverty. The initiative is tied to a new brand campaign centered on Sleepless Lamp, a bedside table lamp that flickers and dims to represent what it’s like to try to rest without a bed, blankets and other essentials.
Taking place at Scarborough Town Centre from March 27 to 30, right in front of the mall’s IKEA store, the activation will show how unstable sleep environments affect well-being with the Sleepless Lamp flickering to simulate up to 20 sleep disruptions per hour. Attendees will be able to learn more about the lamp with informative posters, and sign a national pledge urging the government to take action to fund, research and track sleep poverty as a social problem.
The activation also encourages mallgoers to donate directly to Furniture Bank, which is collaborating with IKEA to provide 1,200 “Sleep Well” kits between now and 2025.
Tanya Bevington, head of communications at IKEA Canada, tells MiC that the brand chose downtown Scarborough because of its high foot traffic and wide demographic representation. “As one of the largest shopping centers in the Greater Toronto Area, it provides an accessible and engaging space for the activation, allowing IKEA Canada to connect with a broad audience in a meaningful way.”
The retailer’s purpose is to appeal to socially conscious consumers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, who are increasingly prioritizing brands that take meaningful action on social issues, according to Bevington, who also notes that these audiences are more willing to support companies that align with their values.
The activation builds on IKEA’s previous initiatives such as the “Second-Hand Tax campaign,” which advocated for removing the tax from second-hand furniture items. However, Bevington says “Sleepless Lamp” goes a step further and addresses a social crisis. Unlike previous efforts that were primarily donation-driven, Sleepless Lamp is an advocacy-driven campaign that combines awareness, tangible support, and policy engagement to create lasting impact​, she says.
According to IKEA, nearly 500,000 children in Canada go to sleep without a proper bed. For children in low-income households, the brand says sleep poverty creates long-term consequences that include a 38% increase in feelings of sadness for every hour of lost sleep. The company also says 24% of adolescents in sleep poverty report lower grades​ and that sleep poverty leads to a 75% reduction in sleep efficiency compared with children with proper beds.
The activation is being supported by a fully integrated media plan that includes OOH in downtown Toronto and at the city’s Eaton Centre, plus social and digital ads (Instagram and YouTube). An online platform where users can experience the lamp digitally and sign the pledge also complements the initiative.
Edelman is behind the campaign and activation, while Furniture Bank is managing the social impact component.
