IKEA has launched its first New Zealand store at Sylvia Park, supported by the fully localised ‘IKEA, Everywhere’ campaign by Havas Host and Mindshare NZ. Blending global brand cues with Kiwi culture, the campaign introduces IKEA’s affordable, design-led range to a market long eager for greater home-furnishing choice.
When IKEA officially opened the doors of its first-ever New Zealand store at Sylvia Park, it marked more than a retail launch—it signalled the arrival of a brand New Zealanders have waited for, talked about, and imagined fitting into their homes for years. To herald the milestone, IKEA unveiled a fully localised brand campaign titled “IKEA, Everywhere,” crafted by Havas Host in partnership with Mindshare NZ. The result is a launch that blends IKEA’s unmistakable global identity with a distinctly Kiwi sensibility, answering long-standing demand in a market that has historically had limited choice in accessible, well-designed home furnishings.
For decades, New Zealand shoppers have been aware of IKEA largely from afar—through overseas travel, social media, and word-of-mouth from friends who experienced the brand abroad. That distance only fuelled anticipation. The arrival at Sylvia Park transforms that anticipation into physical presence, but the campaign’s ambition extends far beyond a single store opening. “IKEA, Everywhere” is designed to make the brand feel omnipresent, instantly woven into everyday conversations, streetscapes, screens and routines across Aotearoa.
At the heart of the campaign is a simple but relatable insight: when something new enters your life, you start noticing it everywhere. IKEA turns that feeling into a strategic device, mirroring how its own entrance into New Zealand quickly became unavoidable. The campaign rolls out IKEA’s recognisable visual language—bold colours, iconic products, and functional design—while grounding it firmly in the rhythms of Kiwi life. Rather than importing a global blueprint wholesale, the brand has made a deliberate choice to localise deeply from day one.
That localisation is informed by the first New Zealand edition of IKEA’s Life at Home Report, a study of 500 Kiwi households examining how people live, what they value, and where their everyday frustrations lie. These insights shaped how IKEA introduced its range of 7,500 affordable, well-designed products to a market eager for better options. The research-driven approach ensures that the brand’s promise is not abstract, but directly connected to how New Zealanders cook, relax, work, and gather at home.
Visually, the campaign straddles both local and regional production. Imagery shot in New Zealand by Match Artists’ Fraser Clements sits alongside work from Australia by The Pool Collective’s Danny Eastwood, creating IKEA’s first full-funnel brand campaign purpose-built specifically for the New Zealand market. The balance reinforces IKEA’s global scale while underscoring its commitment to relevance on the ground.
Cultural cues appear throughout the work, adding layers of humour and recognition that resonate locally. One of the campaign’s most talked-about moments features local voice talent wrestling with IKEA’s famously challenging Swedish product names before effortlessly delivering New Zealand’s longest place name—Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. The contrast not only amuses but subtly positions IKEA as a brand willing to laugh at itself while respecting local identity.
The media strategy surrounding the launch is deliberately expansive. During launch week, IKEA executed a 25-region creative takeover, using AI-enhanced hero products adapted to different local environments, climates, and lifestyles. From urban Tāmaki Makaurau to communities in Southland, people encountered creative executions that felt designed for their region rather than generically national. The objective was not proximity to the store, but relevance—reinforcing the idea that IKEA is for everyone, everywhere.
That sense of ubiquity was further amplified through a 10-day nationwide countdown ahead of opening day. Out-of-home spectaculars, digital takeovers, video placements, social media, and homepage roadblocks worked in tandem to build momentum and anticipation. The campaign ensured that IKEA’s arrival was not a quiet unveiling but a shared national moment, hard to miss and easy to talk about.
Community engagement also played a central role. IKEA Family, the brand’s loyalty programme, was activated early, delivering personalised messages thanking members in cities and regions including Hamilton, Wellington, and Christchurch. By acknowledging supporters beyond Auckland, IKEA reinforced a sense of inclusion and long-term commitment, positioning itself as a national brand from day one rather than a city-centric import.
According to Erin Falconer, Head of Marketing Communications at IKEA Australia and New Zealand, the campaign reflects extensive listening and learning. She has described the New Zealand launch as a significant milestone, noting that the brand paid close attention to what Kiwis want in their homes and daily lives. The campaign, she says, demonstrates how IKEA’s affordable solutions, everyday essentials, and global icons can make life at home better for New Zealanders—delivered “with a local twinkle” to show genuine relevance.
From a media perspective, the strategy was designed for omnipresence. Peter Moore, Head of Integrated Media at IKEA Australia and New Zealand, has said the goal was to meet Kiwis wherever they are—online, on screens, on the street, and within their communities. The combination of high-impact placements, iconic IKEA cues, and local relevance was intended to ensure the excitement of IKEA’s arrival was felt nationwide, not just near the physical store.
Creatively, Havas Host framed the work as an invitation rather than an announcement. Associate Creative Director Pete Sherrah has explained that the campaign was about understanding how IKEA could fit seamlessly into Kiwi life. From large-scale FRAKTA installations to subtle surprises in unexpected places, the intent was to spark curiosity and delight while celebrating the brand’s playful spirit.
As the Sylvia Park store opens its doors, “IKEA, Everywhere” functions as both an introduction and a promise. It signals that IKEA is not simply entering New Zealand as an international retailer, but as a participant in local culture and daily life. By pairing its global heritage with nuanced local storytelling, the brand has set the tone for a relationship built on accessibility, humour, and understanding.
In a market long hungry for affordable design-led home furnishings, IKEA’s arrival feels consequential. The campaign ensures that this moment is not confined to one location or one day, but experienced across regions and communities. In doing so, IKEA has managed to turn a single store opening into a shared national event—one that feels familiar, exciting, and unmistakably tailored to New Zealand.
