IKEA Sweden has once again showcased its trademark creativity by transforming ordinary roller blinds into outdoor advertising spaces, turning households into functional billboards while people sleep. Via its new “Sleepfluencers” campaign, the brand invited consumers to become overnight ambassadors, swapping free blackout blinds for a spot of home-based marketing.
How It Works: Sleep Meets Influence
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Free roller blinds: Selected participants across Sweden received blackout roller blinds printed on the exterior side with images and prices of key IKEA sleep products—duvets, pillows, mattresses—serving as nighttime ads for passersby.
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“Sleepfluencers” activated: By installing and using the blinds, consumers become unpaid brand advocates—quietly promoting IKEA’s sleep range as they shut out the sun .
The blinds serve their core purpose during daylight and reveal IKEA’s messaging at night, delivering clever exposure with local and grassroots flair.
Blending Functionality with Brand Visibility
This campaign reflects IKEA’s legacy of marrying utility with creative impact:
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Democratic Design in action: The idea highlights IKEA’s mission to make well-designed, functional products accessible to everyone.
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Cost-effective OOH advertising: By utilizing everyday homes as advertising real estate, IKEA sidesteps traditional billboard costs and engages communities directly.
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Playful brand interaction: The term “Sleepfluencer” adds fun and a sense of exclusivity that resonates with consumers who enjoy being part of something inventive.
Campaign Results & Strategic Insights
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Wide reach with minimal spend: Homes across Sweden now host IKEA’s ads, effectively creating hundreds of micro-OHH (out-of-home) touchpoints.
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Positive buzz in media and social circles: The campaign garnered attention on LBB Online and The Drum, praised for its ingenuity.
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Brand positioning strengthened: IKEA reinforces its message that practical goods can also be the canvas for creativity, subtly enhancing its image as fun, resourceful, and community-driven.
What Marketers Can Learn
| Insight | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Use existing environments | Transform everyday spaces into marketing mediums, saving on media spend. |
| Amplify core values | Tie the campaign to IKEA’s ethos—affordable design for all—creating authentic messaging. |
| Create community engagement | Empowering customers turns them into brand advocates through genuine interaction. |
Credits:
Client: IKEA Sweden
Marketing Communication Leader: Jonas Westberg
Integrated Media Leader: Sanna Green
Marketing Communications Manager: Felicia Asklund
Creative Agency: Åkestam Holst NoA
Daniel Vaccino, Creative Director
Art Directors: Michal Sitkiewicz & Eva Wallmark
Copywriter: Rickard Beskow
Client Director: Sophia Wattjersson
Account Manager: Anna Nollendorfs
Final Art: Anna Forsberg
Creative Designer: Hugo Wallmo
Production: John Müllendorfs
Planner: Sindra Liebe
Head of Planning: Jerker Winther
Hugo Wallmo, Creative designer
DoP, Editor & Grade: Carlos Carrasco
Film Producer: Joanna Nilsson
IKEA’s “Sleepfluencers” campaign exemplifies how innovation and utility can merge in impactful brand storytelling. By turning bedside essentials into clever promotional tools, IKEA continues to lead in experiential marketing—proving that even simple household products can become powerful brand platforms.
Want to explore how your brand can tap into ambient advertising or creative grassroots campaigns? Grey n Black is here to help you think outside the billboard.
