IKEA slaps a storage unit into Skyrim

Gaming creatives are certainly open to some out there ideas, but an IKEA cabinet in Skyrim was a curveball nonetheless.

The gaming industry has become littered with brand activations of late, and we’ve documented a fair few of them. 

Given that gaming’s revenue has surpassed Hollywood, a broadening of its appeal was always on the menu - but IKEA’s entrance into the Skyrim universe surprised even us.

Created with Mother, the KALLAX Storageborn product appears in-game to add a practical IKEA storage solution into The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

This may sound ridiculous, but for players of Skyrim, the task of fighting dragons comes with a unique issue: the problem of carrying too much stuff around.

The inventory management problem here, is solved by the amusing addition IKEA’s utilitarian solution doing the practical role it was designed for.

The product placement works because of its bizarre juxtaposition, but also because it obeys the rule of brand tie-ins: be enjoyable and add something to the experience.

Getting involved in games as a brand can be multifaceted of course. 

Fortnite concerts worked because players enjoyed them. Animal Crossing’s political campaigns worked because they enhanced the experience. And the NHS popping up in Supercell made for an off-kilter but amusing experience for gamers.

The appearance of KALLAX Storageborn belongs in the same category. It doesn’t seem like an ad, yet it's memorable in all the right ways.