How IKEA’s “What You’re Here For?” Campaign Encourages Kids to Play Freely at Home

Encouraging Creativity: Inside IKEA’s “What You’re Here For?” Campaign for Kids.

A Fresh Take on Family-Friendly Branding

IKEA has long been a beloved brand for families worldwide, offering practical yet stylish home solutions. With its latest campaign, “Your Home Will Never Be the Same,” the furniture giant aims to strengthen its connection with families in the Middle East by celebrating children’s creativity and play at home. Created by the international creative agency This is Libre, this innovative campaign invites children to transform their living spaces, showcasing IKEA as the ultimate brand to support imaginative and playful environments.

Embracing Playful Disruption

The campaign’s core message encourages children to embrace their natural curiosity and play freely within their homes. The TV spot, which serves as the campaign’s centerpiece, features children engaging in spontaneous and mischievous activities—drawing on walls, scattering toys, and even exploring areas traditionally considered off-limits. The result is a heartwarming yet thought-provoking portrayal of childhood’s impact on home life.

This unconventional approach challenges traditional cultural norms, particularly in the Middle East, where some household spaces are reserved for adults. By depicting children venturing into these “forbidden” areas, the campaign delivers a bold statement: a home with children is one filled with creativity, joy, and transformation.

The Team Behind the Campaign

Gabriela Diaz-Guardamino, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for IKEA in Kuwait, Morocco, and Jordan, led the charge in appointing This is Libre for the campaign in November 2024. Having worked with the agency’s founders during her tenure at IKEA Spain, Diaz-Guardamino has a proven track record of launching impactful marketing initiatives. Under her leadership, previous campaigns won multiple awards, including a Grand Prize for Effectiveness.

Félix Vicente, Founder and CEO of This is Libre, acknowledged the challenges of crafting a campaign that resonates across culturally distinct markets. To ensure authenticity, the agency collaborated with a Dubai-based Cultural Strategist with deep regional expertise. This local insight helped shape a campaign that balances universal themes of play and parenting with the specific nuances of Middle Eastern family life.

The Power of Play in Home Life

Monica Moro, Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of This is Libre, described the campaign as an invitation for children to redefine their living spaces:

“Our creative idea is a provocative invitation to children to challenge their homes and their own parents, with the aim of explaining their mission in their little world—their own home. They come to change everything: our economy, our time, our enjoyment. In these countries specifically, we also invite them to invade spaces that are forbidden to them.”

This sentiment aligns perfectly with IKEA’s brand ethos, positioning the company as a partner in fostering children’s imagination and play, while also reassuring parents that joyful chaos is part of a thriving home environment.

A Multi-Platform Campaign Rollout

• The campaign launched this week in Morocco and will expand across the Middle East throughout the year. It features a dynamic mix of media, including:
• TV and Cinema Spots – Showcasing children’s playful disruptions and the joy they bring to family life.
• Social Media & Digital Campaigns – Engaging visuals and videos highlighting IKEA products that support creativity and play.
• Outdoor Advertising (OOH) – Including an activation that welcomes newborns, reinforcing the idea that a home will never be the same after a child enters it.
• These efforts collectively reinforce IKEA’s commitment to making homes more adaptable, fun, and family-friendly.
• Looking Ahead: IKEA’s Vision for the Middle East

With this campaign, IKEA is reaffirming its global mission to create a better everyday life for the many. Diaz-Guardamino emphasized the importance of making IKEA a leading brand in the diverse Middle Eastern markets, ensuring its relevance across different cultural contexts.

“IKEA has a very clear vision: to create a better everyday life for the majority of people. My big challenge as CMO in Kuwait, Morocco, and Jordan is to make IKEA a leading brand in these culturally diverse markets, positioning it in a strong and attractive way for all audiences and in all areas of the home.”

By working with This is Libre, IKEA continues to push creative boundaries while staying true to its core values. As the campaign unfolds across the region, it is set to leave a lasting impression on families, showing that a home filled with children’s laughter, curiosity, and play is truly a home transformed.

Final Thoughts

IKEA’s “Your Home Will Never Be the Same” campaign is more than just a marketing initiative—it’s a celebration of childhood’s impact on home life. By embracing creativity, spontaneity, and the occasional mess, IKEA positions itself as the go-to brand for families seeking both functionality and fun. As the campaign gains traction, it’s poised to strengthen IKEA’s reputation as a beloved household name in the Middle East, proving that a little chaos can lead to a lot of joy.

Credits
Creative Agency: This is Libre
Brand: IKEA
Campaign: IKEA What you’re here for?

This campaign is about:
IKEA, IKEA Middle East, IKEA Campaign, IKEA Family-Friendly, Children’s Creativity, Play At Home, Middle East Marketing, IKEA Brand Strategy, Family-Friendly Branding, Childhood Creativity, Home Transformation, Parenting And Play, TV Campaign, Digital Marketing, Outdoor Advertising, IKEA Products, Cultural Marketing, Middle Eastern Families, Home With Children, Playful Disruption, Brand Engagement, IKEA Vision, Advertising Strategy, Marketing In The Middle East, Family Life, Home Adaptation, Kids And Home, Creative Play, IKEA Kids Furniture, Home Decor For Families, Middle Eastern Parenting, Child-Friendly Homes, IKEA Playroom Ideas, Family Living Spaces, IKEA Marketing Strategy, IKEA Advertising Campaign, IKEA Commercial, Engaging Home Spaces, Scandinavian Design, IKEA Store Middle East, IKEA What you’re here for, IKEA – What you’re here for?.