Ikea sends risky late-night DMs in cheeky new campaign

Ikea recently slid into Canadian followers' DMs with a cheeky "U up?" message, and no, it wasn't an admin mistakenly sending a risky text, but a crafty new campaign. Capitalising on the few sleepy shoppers who might be in need of a new place to rest their heads, those who answered the DM were treated to a free Ikea mattress in an unexpected late-night offering.

From static billboard advertising to immersive social campaigns. switching things up in the modern marketing world is no easy task. Ikea's bold and playful new campaign proves that taking risks and subverting expectations can make a big impact, redefining the way we think about marketing.

Between the hours of 10 pm to 5 am, the unexpectedly cheeky DMs were sent out to around 200 Canadian followers, with the lucky responders receiving a free mattress. Devised by advertising agency Rethink, the ingenious campaign's personal approach is a refreshing twist on corporate audience engagement, making clever use of timely marketing tactics. Discussing the ad's clever timing, Rethink's creative director Robbie Percy says "We wanted to engage people exactly when they might be thinking about a better mattress — when they can't sleep."

The crafty campaign coincides with a series of minimalist billboards baring the simple "U up?" message, highlighting the playful and mysterious nature of the campaign. While it's an unconventional marketing technique, the campaign is a prime example of how simple yet unique concepts can make for a golden viral opportunity, using out-of-the-box ideas to create authentic audience engagement.

For more ingenious marketing, take a look at Heinz's logo-free billboards that break all the rules of branding. If you're after more clever campaigns from Ikea, check out its cutest ad campaign yet featuring a series of playfully mischievous pets.