23-05-2025
Al-Futtaim IKEA reveals rollout of Start at Home campaign for Earth Weeks
Al-Futtaim IKEA has launched its 'Start at Home' campaign in celebration of 'Earth Weeks'. The campaign aims to empower and inspire individuals to adopt more sustainable habits where they matter most – right at home.
Launched across the UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Egypt – in partnership BigSea Productions and Memac Ogilvy, which handled the creative, social and PR – the campaign rollout was designed to be integrated and reach the community through several channels, using both traditional and digital means.
In conversation with Campaign Middle East, Carla Klumpenaar, GM Marketing and Communications, Al-Futtaim IKEA UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, said, 'We wanted to demonstrate that sustainable living doesn't have to be a daunting or overwhelming task, and can be achieved through small, impactful everyday actions.'
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As such the campaign was structured around four key sustainability themes, covering a range of focal points from reducing energy and water usage to reusing products and cutting down food waste. This included:
Week 1: Love it longer – promoted repair, resale, and recycling.
– promoted repair, resale, and recycling. Weeks 2 & 3: Use less energy and water – offered practical conservation tips.
– offered practical conservation tips. Week 4: Reuse it – spotlighted reusable items like IKEA 365 bottles and containers.
– spotlighted reusable items like IKEA 365 bottles and containers. Weeks 5 & 6: Create less waste – focused on food waste reduction and waste sorting.
The 'Start at Home' campaign messaging was first launched through billboards. The brand then activated a series of social media initiatives that were carefully timed to coincide with key days during 'Earth Weeks' to keep the conversation going.
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Klumpenaar added, 'This year, we wanted to approach Earth Hour with true empathy and inclusivity. We understand that not everyone can participate, whether it's due to university deadlines, work, or even reading to children at bedtime. That's why we introduced the 'Switch-Off Trade Off' — an activation where our coworkers volunteered to switch off the lights in our offices and showrooms on behalf of those who couldn't. It was our way of showing that even when life gets in the way, sustainability can still be a shared effort.'
The brand also took a special moment during Mother's Day to honour mothers as the original sustainability heroes.
'From reusing, repairing, and repurposing to teaching children to care for their surroundings, mothers play a quiet but powerful role in building sustainable households. I think a lot of us, especially in this part of the world, can relate to seeing our mothers embed sustainability in their daily lives, without even knowing it,' Klumpenaar said.
Al-Futtaim IKEA also released the 'Wait for the Drop' playlist – an online audio track designed to sound like running water. It encouraged people to play the sound instead of actually turning on the tap, a small change that can prevent waste.
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'Running water at full flow can waste two to three gallons per minute, and research shows that nearly one in five people run taps just to mask other sounds. By swapping the faucet for a playlist, we're helping people make small but impactful behavioural shifts that conserve water and energy,' Klumpenaar explained.
The brand also hosted a sustainability-driven event where its leadership team met with media representatives and eco-conscious influencers to talk more about its sustainability agenda, and the role of companies in encouraging more sustainable behaviour in the community.
Klumpenaar said, 'We collaborated with a range of passionate, eco-conscious influencers who genuinely share Al-Futtaim IKEA's vision for a more sustainable future. They really brought our sustainable products and solutions to life, showcasing how they're not only environmentally friendly but also affordable and accessible. The content they created generated a lot of engagement and interest, really demonstrating the growing appeal of sustainable living.'
The success of the 'Earth Weeks' campaign was defined by a combination of factors – both the business results and the positive impact on the environment.
'We kept a close eye on sales of our sustainable products. That really showed us the growing demand for eco-conscious solutions. We also tracked engagement with our social media content and influencer collaborations, measuring reach, impressions, and overall sentiment. It was important to understand how our message was resonating with the community,' Klumpenaar explained.
'Ultimately, for us, the real success of the campaign came down to its ability to raise awareness and understanding of sustainability within the community, empowering individuals to feel like they could make a positive difference through small, impactful everyday actions,' she concluded.
The 'Start at Home' campaign was a six-week initiative, covering the period of 'Earth Weeks', which ran from March 14 to April 25.
CREDITS:
Client: Al-Futtaim IKEA
Production house: BigSea Productions
Creative, social and PR agency: Memac Ogilvy
