Image via Complex Original
Who doesn't love IKEA? Affordable furniture. Neat design. Swedish meatballs. All of these things are damn useful.
The Swedish mega-retailer always keeps us on our toes. Funky campaigns and smart catalog design keep us engaged, while efforts to go green and champion sustainability keep our conscious happy. So much so that we're often willing to forgive the frustrations of putting together flat pack furniture. That's real brand power.
Allegiance to the blue and yellow also has us wondering: Could IKEA take over the world?
10 Ways IKEA Is Trying To Take Over The World
Employing Robots
Employing Robots
What's the most annoying thing about IKEA? The infuriating DIY construction and inevitable anxiety over losing one of those pesky little pegs. What could make it better? Robots. Sure, why not? IKEA uses robots currently to make and package products. A group of researches has also figured out how to program robots to read instructions and convert them. This could mean the end of frustration. And, the beginning of welcoming weird mechanical dudes into your home.
Going Green
Going Green
Positive change. IKEA is all about it. One of the best corporate pushes is making each store 100% sustainable. In the UK solar panels were placed on the roof of the Huntly, Scotland store and a local windfarm was purchased. 31 stores in the USA have been plugged into solar power. Eventually, IKEA will be 89% run by solar energy. Lucky Hybrid and electric driving customers also benefit from VIP parking when they plug into Blink stations while shopping.
Founding Fresh Neighborhoods
Founding Fresh Neighborhoods
The future of urban planning? IKEA has purchased an 11-hectare are in East London and proposes to revitalize the area by constructing a complete neighborhood. Everything will be owned and operated by IKEA. You rent from them. You buy the furniture. You live, hopefully, in an awesome, utopian Scandinavian type of way.
Selling Complete Homes
Selling Complete Homes
Teaming with Portland-based architectural firm Ideabox, IKEA is poised to sell complete, yes COMPLETE, homes for less than $80k. The prefabricated structures are totally eco-friendly and all include Tundra maple flooring, Pax wardroom, Abstrakt cabinets, and energy-star electronics.
Turning Catalogs Into Interactive Experiences
Turning Catalogs Into Interactive Experiences
IKEA has redefined catalog production this year. No more costly sets. No more lengthy photo shoots. Instead, the majority of the material for new catalogs is computer rendered. This is part of IKEA's plan to boost productivity, decrease cost, and increase world domination. In the future (like by 2013), IKEA's catalogs will also feature augmented reality and 3D models so consumers can see both front and back of a product through a single computer generated image.
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Gorilla Advertising
Gorilla Advertising
Yes, these campaigns aren't exactly gorilla-style. But, they are non-traditional. IKEA's changed the game by installing pop-up apartments in the Parisian subway—five people lived in the space for five days—and on Tokyo streets. What better way to sell the potential of maximizing tight living spaces, right? IKEA also took over a portion of Charles de Gualle airport for a spell, kicking the idea of the airport lounge up a notch. Another crazy stunt found 100 people sleeping over at a store in the UK.
Opening Stores in Untraditional Spaces
Opening Stores in Untraditional Spaces
Why limit domination to land? IKEA has taken to rivers and canals with floating gondola stores. Ok, ok, these are not official stores. Instead, the party boats on London's Regent's Canal gave attendees of this year's London Design Festival a cool place to chill. So, in essence, the floating shops aren't too different from the gorilla ad campaigns, but if they hint at future expansion we're more afraid for the competition.
Building Budget Hotels
Building Budget Hotels
IKEA has already changed the way we furnish an apartment. Now, IKEA plans to change how we travel. How? In an expansion of the company's real estate activities, hotels will start sprouting up by 2014, with the first two planned for Germany. The idea is budget designer hotels. Here's the kicker though: IKEA doesn't plan to outfit rooms with its famous furniture.
Selling Beer
Selling Beer
Yes! IKEA is selling beer to go with those awesome Swedish meatballs. Will the beer be like the magical elixir that made the insane dues in Strange Brew play hockey? Who knows. (Actually, we doubt the beer has mind-altering qualities). Will a few beers make you buy a few extra bits and bobs at the store though? Probably.
Öl Mörk Lager debuted over the summer at IKEA stores in the United Kingdom. No word yet on how far the suds will travel.
Making Shopping Fun for Guys
Making Shopping Fun for Guys
Shopping with your significant other, especially when it comes to home decor, can be tough. IKEA plans to make it easy. The brand's "Manland" debuted last fall in Sydney. Basically, a woman can drop her man off in a holding cell—equipped with TVs and games—grab a monitor and when a reminder buzzes off 30 minutes later return to collect her fella. This is either a genius ploy or death to gender equality. We, however, appreciate that diversion from picking between two seemingly identical pot holders is possible.
