IKEA has officially opened its first-ever store in New Zealand at Sylvia Park.
This moment was marked with a fully localised campaign, “IKEA, Everywhere,” curated by Havas Host and Mindshare NZ.
The work blends IKEA’s globally recognisable brand cues with an unmistakably Kiwi lens, meeting a long-standing demand from New Zealand shoppers who have traditionally faced limited home-furnishing options.
The campaign arrives off the back of the first New Zealand edition of IKEA’s Life at Home Report, which studied 500 Kiwi households to understand everyday needs, behaviours and aspirations.
For IKEA, these insights shaped how it would introduce its 7,500 well-priced, well-designed products to a market hungry for more choice.
A campaign designed for Kiwi life
“IKEA, Everywhere” taps into the idea that once something is on your mind, you start spotting it everywhere, a neat parallel to the retailer’s sudden, highly visible arrival across streets, screens and conversations.
The launch blends imagery shot in New Zealand by Match Artists’ Fraser Clements and in Australia by The Pool Collective’s Danny Eastwood, marking the first full-funnel IKEA brand campaign purpose-built for the local market.
Cultural cues run throughout the work, including a local voice talent wrestling with famously tricky Swedish product names before delivering New Zealand’s longest place name,Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, with effortless precision.
A hyper-local day-one takeover
Launch week kicked off with a 25-region creative takeover, featuring AI-enhanced hero products tailored to local environments, climates and lifestyles.
From Tāmaki Makaurau to Southland, communities saw creatives that felt specific to them, not just those geographically close to them.
The approach set the tone for IKEA’s entry: global heritage paired with local nuance.
Ahead of opening day, the brand staged a 10-day nationwide countdown using OOH spectaculars, digital takeovers, video, social placements and homepage roadblocks.
The build-up created an environment where IKEA was impossible to ignore, fuelling momentum as anticipation spread through Aotearoa.
IKEA Family also played a role, with personalised messages thanking early members in cities and regions, including Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch, reinforcing the retailer’s community-led launch strategy.
‘We’re doing it with a local twinkle’
Erin Falconer, Head of Marketing Communications, IKEA Australia and New Zealand, said the campaign reflects a deep understanding of how New Zealanders live.
“Bringing IKEA to New Zealand is an exciting milestone for us. We’ve listened closely to what Kiwis want in their homes and lives, and ‘IKEA, Everywhere’ reflects those local insights.
“From clever, affordable solutions to everyday essentials and our global icons, this campaign shows how IKEA can make life at home better for Kiwis everywhere. And we’re doing it with a local twinkle to show Kiwis how we’re really relevant to them.”
Peter Moore, Head of Integrated Media, IKEA Australia and New Zealand, said the media strategy was built for ubiquity.
“Our approach with ‘IKEA, Everywhere’ is about meeting Kiwis where they are –on screens, online, on the street and in their communities. By combining high-impact media with iconic IKEA design cues and local relevance, we’re making sure the excitement of IKEA’s arrival is felt everywhere.”
Pete Sherrah, Associate Creative Director at Havas Host, added: “This campaign was about more than bringing IKEA to New Zealand; it was about understanding how the brand can fit seamlessly into Kiwi life.
“From giant FRAKTA installations to small surprises in unexpected places, we wanted the campaign to spark curiosity and delight while celebrating the brand’s playful spirit.”