Among its social responsibilities today, business is expected to step up and take action to address environmental challenges, like climate change, unsustainable consumption and increasing emission levels, among many others. IKEA, the Swedish manufacturer of durable furniture at affordable prices, is deeply focused on sustainability and its ambition is to become a circular company by 2030, in which all of its products are designed from the beginning to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold and recycled.
IKEA was looking for a way to share its commitment to sustainable corporate practices, to inspire people to live sustainably and to lead a transformational change in the business community toward sustainability as a core business focus. To demonstrate IKEA’s values and bring these objectives to life, we helped our client do something radical, on an unprecedented global scale: IKEA started buying customer’s unwanted furniture back that could then be resold at a lower price or recycled. By making sustainable living simpler and more accessible, this new initiative, IKEA’s Buy Back, would help customers take a stand against excessive consumption.
STRATEGY & EXECUTION
The initiative was launched just ahead of 2020’s Black Friday, one of the most popular shopping days during the year, in 27 countries around the world.
On launch day, customers were able to return their unwanted IKEA furniture to stores, in exchange for up to 50% of its original value. The second-hand furniture was then fixed up, displayed in-store and sold on to other customers at reduced prices. Any unsold furniture could be donated to charity or recycled, ensuring that nothing went into the landfill.
An online film and TV commercial were developed to raise awareness of the initiative and make people aware of this new business practice at IKEA. The film, and additional assets, were also shared across IKEA’s owned social media platform, shared with journalists and media outlets to promote across their platforms and channels. Social media posts, print and outdoor advertising tactics pushed visibility of the initiative further.
OUTCOME
- 3+ billion impressions
- More than 47,000 items re-sold at IKEA stores around the world
- 5,800+ total mentions of the Buy Back initiative
- 66,000+ total engagements on social media platforms (likes, comments, shares)
- 1,546+ news articles have mentioned the initiative in more than 37 countries