50 Incredible IKEA Innovations

From Mythical Desk Lamps to Hacking Collectives

— November 3, 2011 — Art & Design
These IKEA innovations will have you yearning to get the S-wrenches out and put together some night tables. With all of its compelling marketing campaigns, signature style and wacky product names, IKEA has cemented itself within popular culture.

The IKEA innovations range from specific products to marketing campaigns. What I find particularly interesting is all of the IKEA hacks that are out there; there are clubs devoted to modifying and improving the furniture manufacturer's products. Go out and get yourself a couple of tables, a lamp, some Swedish meatballs and hack away.

Implications - Consumers feel a connection with companies whose brand image feels human. IKEA, while being a giant retailer, has managed to create a brand image that is at once practical and playful. Companies ought to consider how they can humanize themselves through various campaigns.
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49
Corporate Clean Energy
Corporate Clean Energy
IKEA's Swedish Wind Farm Will Power 17 Stores in Sweden
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48
Wall-Climbing Furniture Adverts
Wall-Climbing Furniture Adverts
Ikea 'More Appliances' Shows the Fun Side of Athletic Kitchens
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47
Impromptu Raves
Impromptu Raves
Surprise IKEA Nightclub Homage
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46
Lazy Furniture Bots
Lazy Furniture Bots
'Ikea Robotics' by Adam Lassy is at Your Beck and Call
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45
Adorable Catvertising
Adorable Catvertising
IKEA Lets 100 Cats Roam Store to Feel 'Happy Inside'
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44
Deadly Online Shows
Deadly Online Shows
'Dead Drunk but Trying' Will Test the Limits and Livers of Contestants
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43
Flat-Pack Cars
Flat-Pack Cars
IKEA's LEKO Car Viral Marketing Shows It's Not What It Seems
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42
Sweden Invades China (with an Ikea in Beijing)
Sweden Invades China (with an Ikea in Beijing)
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41
Remodeled "Roach Motels"
Remodeled "Roach Motels"
The Motel 6 Redesign Lends Some Elegance to the Lowbrow Bunker
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40
Tabletop IKEA Hacks
Tabletop IKEA Hacks
The Table Vase by Tomokazu Hayakawa is Both a Table and Vase
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39
Big Box Eco
Big Box Eco
Earth Day 2009 Marks End of Plastic Shopping Bags at IKEA Canada
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38
Fauxval Offices
Fauxval Offices
Ikea's Guerrilla Oval Office in a Simulated White House at Union Station
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37
Storytelling Selling
Storytelling Selling
IKEA Explores Illustration-Based Digital Communication
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36
Budget Furniture Sneak Peeks
Budget Furniture Sneak Peeks
IKEA Shows Off New Line at the ICFF
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35
Ikea Rental Bikes
Ikea Rental Bikes
Brand Colors and Trailer Included
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34
Mythical Desk Lamps
Mythical Desk Lamps
The 'IKEA plus Tertial' Light is Ornately Carved
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33
Furniture-Assisting Ads
Furniture-Assisting Ads
The IKEA Assembly Service Campaign Visualizes Help Needed
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32
Personalised Swedish Furniture Name Generator
Personalised Swedish Furniture Name Generator
Blogadilla
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31
IKEA Hacking
IKEA Hacking
Creative With Flat-Pack Furniture
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30
Ikea Hacking
Ikea Hacking
Mixing up Ikea Furniture
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29
Copycat Furniture Stores
Copycat Furniture Stores
11 Furniture in China is a Replica of Furniture Mega-Store IKEA
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28
Branded Paper Skulls
Branded Paper Skulls
'Mission Creep' Made of IKEA Cartons
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27
IKEA Couture
IKEA Couture
Jean Skin Turns Iconic Blue Eco Bag Into a Dress
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26
Living in a Store
Living in a Store
Mark Malkoff Lives in IKEA
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25
Silly Furniture Showroom Photography
Silly Furniture Showroom Photography
Christian Gideon Depicts Daily Living in an IKEA Store
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24
Ikea Interactive Bed Projection
Ikea Interactive Bed Projection
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23
Pint-Sized Branding
Pint-Sized Branding
The TVN Channel Campaign Puts Famous Logos on the Short List
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22
Mobile Show Rooms
Mobile Show Rooms
Ikea Designed Kobe Portliner Monorail
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21
Multi-Level Hamster Homes
Multi-Level Hamster Homes
Katja Turns an Ikea Expedit Bookcase into a Hamster Mansion
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20
Furniture Book Spoofs
Furniture Book Spoofs
The ‘Diskea' Catalog Presents “Wearable” Furniture
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19
IKEA Hacking Collectives
IKEA Hacking Collectives
Surtido de Mutacione Takes Boxed IKEA Parts & Makes New Creations
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18
IKEA Hotel
IKEA Hotel
Sovhotell
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17
Superstore Survival Kits
Superstore Survival Kits
The ‘FLAMMA' Fire Starting System Enables You to Live in Ikea
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16
Crowd Sourced Catalogues
Crowd Sourced Catalogues
Dutch IKEA Kitchen Catalogues Created With Customer Photos
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15
Flat Pack Furniture Art
Flat Pack Furniture Art
Designer Kenyon Yeh's Unique IKEA Project
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14
Mosaic Ads
Mosaic Ads
IKEA ‘Long Live Diversity' Campaign
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13
Palm Leaf Lamps
Palm Leaf Lamps
IKEA's Vava Lamp Turns Leaves to Luxury
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12
Cozy Commuter Couches
Cozy Commuter Couches
IKEA Bus Terminals Change the Way You Wait
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11
Prefab Furniture Hacks
Prefab Furniture Hacks
Kenyon Yeh Creates Unique Pieces with IKEA Hacks
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10
Adhesive-Free Furnishings
Adhesive-Free Furnishings
Poles Apart by Adrian Bergman Assembles without Glue
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9
Building Block Kitchens
Building Block Kitchens
Munchausen Lego Kitchen Toys With Traditional Countertops
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8
Asia Hungry For Swedish Design
Asia Hungry For Swedish Design
Ikea in Korea
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7
Side Table Sofas
Side Table Sofas
The Slow Sofa is a Modular Couch With Attached End Tables
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6
Express Kitchen Designs
Express Kitchen Designs
Chic and Cheap Revamped Cooking Spaces by Croma Design
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5
Pop-Up Roomvertising
Pop-Up Roomvertising
Ikea Sets Up Fake Rooms Throughout NYC
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4
Severed Seat Storage
Severed Seat Storage
These Half IKEA 'Bertil' Chair Hangers Make Clever Slings for Tight Spaces
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3
Retro Home Magazines
Retro Home Magazines
Vintage IKEA Catalogs Prove Looks of the 60s and 70s Are Hot Again
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2
Futuristic Kitchenettes
Futuristic Kitchenettes
The IKEA 2040 Kitchen Equipment Features Plenty of High-Tech Appliances
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1
Flat-Pack Funerals
Flat-Pack Funerals
DIY IKEA Coffins
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