IKEA’s going all out for Brighton locals

A series of campaigns by IKEA demonstrates a wider trend in the creative industry to appeal more authentically to local residents. In this case, it's Brighton dwellers.

Like Netflix’s ‘knitted billboard’ stunt, IKEA is also demonstrating a knack for getting under the skin of the local population’s quirks.

Social media was buzzing last week as IKEA launched a playful campaign to celebrate the opening of its new Brighton store, leaning into the city’s notorious seagull population with humour and hyperlocal flair.

Partnering with creative agency Mother, the Swedish retailer unveiled out-of-home posters featuring furniture like chairs and filing cabinets splattered with realistic-looking seagull droppings, captioned simply, “IKEA Brighton now open”.

Photographed by Lydia Whitmore with “gull poop” styling by Seiko Hartfield (a well-deserved nod if ever I’ve seen one), the ads capture the messy reality of seaside life, and show that crucial bit of brand empathy that gets people talking.

Pop-up follow-up

Monopolising on the fun created by its posters, IKEA saw an irresistible chance to further troll Brighton dwellers. The brand set up a “chip theft insurance kiosk” at Brighton i360 on August 9-10, offering free chips to residents as “restitution” for meals snatched by the city’s feathered fiends.

Visitors signed a mock insurance form and joined IKEA Family for a portion of fries, poking fun at the gulls’ infamous chip-stealing antics.

The Mother campaign, which went viral (you could say people flocked to it), is a masterclass in localised marketing, blending IKEA’s minimalist style with Brighton’s quirky charm. Brighton, we reckon, was especially well chosen for the campaign due to its famous sense of community, and we might add humour.

The store, now open at Churchill Square, features a Swedish Deli with sea views, promising more chips, but no promises around the seagull population.