Ikea has redeemed itself for its careless customer ways and organized a furniture swap right here in Amsterdam. On February 9th, up to 250 people will be allowed to bring in all their furniture (in all its CSI-inspired stained glory – both in Ikea and non-Ikea flavors) and swap it with the lucky few who were able to get in.
The dumpster diving affair is an attempt to encourage customers to “think like designers, which includes experimenting by rearranging furniture they already have” according to Springwise. After having just been to Ikea no less than two days ago, I also think the husselmarkt is also a viral part of Ikea’s most recent ad campaign, which is all about about moving furniture. On their Netherlands website the song featured in the flash animation for “Husselen die Meubels” (translated roughly as: “You have more in your house than you think, begin here with the moving …Move the Furniture!”) is also played over and over and over again in the store itself (which I didn’t understand at the time, I just thought they were trying to brainwash me to buy more light bulbs).
The following commercial has also been playing here in Amsterdam:
Which is supposed to inspire you to rearrange your furniture. Honestly, it’s an ingenious idea on the part of Ikea. After exhausting almost all of the human emotional reasons for visiting your local Ikea in their ads (including guilt), the last emotion they have left to exploit is “irritation”. Go ahead and rearrange the furniture in one room, and you’ll see just how many missing lamps, rugs, and extension cords you will notice you have to most undoubtedly pick up from (where else) Ikea.
Starring the Queen of all Stick Insects, Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham. 