The IKEA Australia Wicker campaign taps into the online buzz surrounding the upcoming film Wicker with a playful social media post centered on the brand's TOLKNING handmade rattan bench. Captioned "Made from husband material. If you know, you know," the campaign references Alexander Skarsgård's role as a husband handcrafted from wicker in the film. The post was later reshared by distributor Black Bear Pictures, further connecting the furniture retailer to one of the internet's most talked-about movie moments.
Based on Ursula Wills-Jones' novel The Wicker Husband, Wicker stars Olivia Colman, Peter Dinklage and Alexander Skarsgård. The film follows a village outsider who commissions the creation of her ideal husband, brought to life through an intricate wicker suit developed by Wētā Workshop that preserves the actor's facial performance.
Image Credit: IKEA Australia
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Meme-responsive Retail
- Retail brands are increasingly aligning product messaging with viral entertainment moments, creating room for faster cultural relevance and low-cost audience amplification.
- Fictional Product Tie-ins
- Movie narratives that feature recognizable objects or materials offer new pathways for brands to turn everyday goods into timely pop culture touchpoints.
- Craft Material Storytelling
- Handmade and natural materials such as rattan gain fresh commercial appeal when framed through humor, fantasy and cinematic worldbuilding.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Furniture
- Furniture companies can differentiate familiar product lines by connecting design attributes to trending media references and social conversation.
- Entertainment Marketing
- Film distributors benefit from brand-adjacent meme participation that extends story worlds beyond trailers and into consumer-facing categories.
- Social Media Advertising
- Platform-native campaigns built around niche jokes and shared fandom cues create new value for brands seeking organic engagement around cultural events.
