Situation: After a nine-year hiatus, IKEA Thailand was relaunching its iconic IKEA PS collection; a limited-edition series marking 30 years of Democratic Design. The challenge was to reintroduce the collection's Playful Functionality concept to a new generation of Thai consumers, particularly design-conscious city dwellers and Gen-Z audiences who had yet to consider IKEA a credible design destination, while driving meaningful media coverage and store visitation within a tight launch window.
Solution: Tasked with making design feel exciting and accessible again, Burson developed a multi-phased campaign strategy built around real, lived experiences rather than traditional product showcases. The campaign opened with a teaser activating six selected influencers who received a mystery IKEA PS box carrying the prompt "Open this to brighten your ordinary day“, shifting the narrative from product showcase to real, relatable transformation moments. The launch culminated in a two-part experiential event at The EmSphere on 28 May 2026: An afternoon Democratic Design press briefing for 42 journalists from 36 media outlets featuring IKEA Thailand management and home styling influencer Nanmanas Kongkaew; followed by an evening IKEA PS House Party welcoming over 100 influencers and celebrities, complete with vinyl DJ sets, wine tasting, and a product tour with celebrity guest Kamolned Ruengsri.
Success: The launch attracted 42 journalists from 36 media outlets and over 100 influencers and celebrities. It generated 41 coverage pieces. All with a positive tone achieving a total PR value of THB 2,818,243 and a combined reach of 13,108,225 across print, online, and social platforms. Key placements included Bangkok Post, BrandAge, Thairath, Baan Lae Suan, Positioning, and Spring News. Media narratives centred precisely on the collection's Playful Functionality concept and IKEA's 30-year Democratic Design legacy, the brand messages the campaign was built to land.
