Real homes are messy. But that mess doesn’t have to be “all over the place”.

NoA Åkestam Holst and IKEA Sweden are showing off the best way to reset everyday life, in a literally tidy campaign. IKEA Sweden is turning the backs of its billboards into the messy reality behind the perfectly tidy home. From toys and clothes to records, electronics and half-finished kids’ drawings (resembling a typical home on any given Sunday), everything is hidden in plain sight inside IKEA’s SAMLA storage boxes.

The outdoor installations present SAMLA as the hero without a cape.

“The front of the billboards like any typical ad for home furnishing. But when you look again, there´s an honest twist. Everyday life is messy, then tidy, and then messy again. We think it´s nice to show both sides of the story,” stated Tiago Pinho, art director at NoA Åkestam Holst.

Research from IKEA shows that 83 % of people in Sweden feel they have at least one room at home, that´s hard to keep tidy. The survey also lists the top 5 toughest spaces to keep organised according to Swedes.

• 1.The closet – 24 %
• 2. Garage/attic – 22 %
• 3. Kitchen counter – 22 %
• 4. Kitchen cupboards and drawers – 19 %
• 5. Bathroom– 19 %

“Keeping your home clean is always a battle, regardless of whether it´s a small flat, a castle, or something in between. We wanted to remind people of our great storage boxes in an out-of-the-box way hopefully we can stop people in their tracks,” added Jonas Westberg, marketing communication leader at IKEA Sweden.

IKEAS Tidy Billboards have been popping-up in major Swedish cities starting during the end of August. The campaign will also run in social and digital channels.

Credits:
Creative Agency: NoA Åkestam Holst
Creative Director: Daniel Vaccino
Art Director Tiago Pinho
Project Leader: Annika Åhlund
Productions Leader: Anna Nollendorfs
DoP: Carlos Carrasco
Producer: Hanna Yngvell
Graphic Designer: Erika Nyström & Anna Forsberg
Motion: Ville Askelöf
Production Company: Havelle, Torbjörn Christell

Client: IKEA
Marketing Communication Leader: Jonas Westberg
Marketing Communication Specialist: Amanda Birch-Jensen
Integrated Media Leader: Sanna Green