Inspired by article by Kim Benjamin in Event Magazine 29 March 2017

Laurent Tiersen, country marketing manager at IKEA UK and Ireland, explains in an article to Kim Benjamin @ Event Magazine, why experiential is deeply embedded in the furniture retailer’s DNA.

“IKEA’s key focus of experiential is to help members of the public engage with its products in a unique context…. not just as an experience, but in a way, that captures the imagination and resonates across both earned and owned media.” says Tiersen

IKEA Crazy Golf experiential activity @ Swedish Festival, London with BWP Primal

Visitors to the Swedish Festival were able to complete the 9 hole course which was made exclusively from IKEA products, from bedroom furniture to taps.  This fun, interactive activity showcased IKEA’s top selling products displaying them in a quirky, memorable way.

Tiersen adds “What’s more, experiential is part of our DNA -…. we have always been an experiential destination….we use experiential in a way to surprise and engage with the consumer”

IKEA Giant LACK table store opening launch – Southampton with BWP Primal

In true Scene2 theatrical style, the giant iconic IKEA LACK table appeared overnight on the roundabout next to the new Southampton store ready for the store opening. It disappeared as quickly as it arrived, so by the Sunday morning, it was gone without a trace.

Here is a behind the scene2 peak on how it was done:

Stage 1 – Arriving in the early hours of Saturday morning, the crew unloaded the giant pieces of the table onto the Southampton roundabout.

Stage 2 – Being careful not to disturb the plants as they sleep, the ground is surveyed and legs dug into place.

Stage 3 –  With the giant legs in place, just like the real thing, the table is assembled with the use of ladders and torchlight!

Stage 4 – Finally the table top goes on…

Stage 5 – As the sun came up and the traffic awoke, the table stood proud guiding the way to the new store ready to open that day.

“We love working with BWP Primal on experiential ideas for IKEA.  IKEA is the perfect brand to suit any style of experiential activity.  We love giant props and ideas that creatively think outside of the box – the crazy golf and giant table are excellent examples of this.”  – Andy Dixon – Creative Director Scene2

Benjamin concludes in her article “…whether this is done via an exhibition, a pop-up, a one-day activation or activity that runs over several days, experiential helps the brand achieve a variety of aims, especially as each is specifically designed to work across all marketing channels.”

Scene2 are experts in experiential design & production and have enjoyed 18 years working in the experiential and large scale decorations sector. Check out our recent and past work @ www.scene2.co.uk or get in touch – enquiries@scene2.co.uk – 01992 666 341.

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