Ikea Media Plan

Marketing Objective 1:
To increase awareness of local IKEA store locations in the U.S. among Generation Y individuals between ages 23 and 30 by 25% by January 2014.

Media Objective 1: Reach 30% of Generation Y (ages 23-30) at least twice a month during 2013 with information regarding their IKEA store within 200 miles.

Media Strategy: Use direct mail campaign that highlights the location of the nearest store with IKEA facts, and promotions. The mailings are to be released at the beginning of each month for three consecutive months.

Media Tactics: Create a direct mailing informational campaign that states the closest IKEA store with events or promotions going on that month. The initial messaging states the location of the store and how it is “just around the corner”. Follow-up messaging states events or promotions specific to their local IKEA.

Medium: Direct Mail
Budget: $5 million for lists, labor, postage, and print
Rationale: The direct mail campaign should be implemented because it reaches the audience closest to the stores that do not need the online community. By using the direct mailing campaign the people moving in and out of communities can be monitored and reached. People just starting in their career that have moved into a new house or apartment can be reached and informed of the IKEA store closest to them while they are searching for affordable and fashionable furniture.

Media Strategy: Run a social media campaign that uses a weekly touch point to build awareness of IKEA locations.

Media Tactics: Use the tagline “Where Are You Wednesday?” and have followers and fans add their location as well as the location of the nearest IKEA
store. Each week will feature a fact of a U.S. IKEA sore location, one participant from the store with the most responses will be drawn to win a $50 IKEA gift card.

Medium: Social Network Outlets
Budget: $43,000 for staffing, gift cards, and applications
Rationale: The social media campaign will reach the customers more frequently and reach the audience that is constantly living on the computer. Since 61% of the 230 million Americans spend most of their time on a social network, a large audience can be reached for a less price than some media outlets. Using social media also allows a conversation between the customer and IKEA and helps create the relationship. By having the campaign run weekly the status will be easily monitored.

Marketing Objective 2: Raise sales in the United States to 14% of total sales by January 2014.

Media Objective 2: Increase awareness of IKEA’s products and services by 40% to the U.S. market.

Media Strategy: Develop a national broadcast presence to showcase the product range and affordability of IKEA.

Media Tactic: Organize a national television campaign featuring the wide range of products available at IKEA that are stylish and functional. The spots will also showcase the affordability of such high quality products to create awareness that even in a slow economy, nice, quality furniture is still available and affordable. The campaign will run in March/April, July/August, November/December with a new ad each set of months.

Medium: National Cable Television
Budget: $8 million for creation of advertisements, staff, and national spot coverage
Rationale: The national cable networks allow a very large approach to reach a broad U.S. audience. During prime time television shows consumers make it a point to tune-in, therefore the advertisements will be seen even if just for a brief second. It should just spark an interest in going into the IKEA stores or even online at that moment to check out what they have to offer.

Media Strategy: Use print media to present the trendy and affordable products IKEA offers.

Media Tactic: Use advertising to promote the most trendy products for the best price in national magazines. The ads will be focused on how IKEA has fashionable products for an affordable price. Ads will be featured in weekly magazines (InStyle, Star, People, etc) and monthly magazines (Cosmo, Elle, etc.). The ads will run for a year in January/February, May/June, September/October with new advertisements each month set.

Medium: Print/Magazine
Budget: $4.5 million for ad spots, staff, and creation
Rationale: The magazine spots are able to reach the audience that is interested in fashion and the trends. Magazines focus on what is trendy for that season and point out what the celebrities are doing, the campaign will tie in how the furniture is fitting in with that specific trend & is an affordable price vs the designer alternative.

Marketing Objective 3: Increase IKEA.com traffic 5% by January 2014.

Media Objective 3: Raise frequency of contact about IKEA.com to Generation Y living 120 miles outside of an IKEA store to twice a month.

Media Strategy: Use eBlasts to promote new products and promotions that are web only. Media Tactic: The blasts will be sent two times a month to a purchased list. The list will consist of anyone between the age of 23-30 living 150 miles outside of an IKEA store. Each add will showcase new products with the original price and a web only sale price, as well as other affordable furniture options.

Medium: Email
Budget: $900,000 for email marketing platform, creation, and staff
Rationale: This generation is very tech savvy and heavily relies on communication through digital platforms. Many of the audience has a mobile device that will allow them to look at the email anywhere & access the site directly there. Since the messaging will promote web only offers customers are inclined to go check out the deal.

Media Objective 4: Increase awareness by 20% that IKEA products are easily accessible no matter location.

Media Strategy: Place web advertisements in search engines and complementing websites through pay-per-click and banner ads.

Media Tactic: Place pay-per-click ads that focus on IKEA’s high quality products that are trendy, affordable, and functional in three different groups. The ads will rotate throughout depending on the search term used. Each ad will link directly back to IKEA.com. Banner ads will be placed on complementary websites such as homes, apartment rentals, and career search sites that focus on the price point of IKEA products and how they are able to be used for multiple functions.

Medium: Internet
Budget: $1.5 million for ad placement, creation, and PPC
Rationale: This approach will allow all audiences searching for homes or looking for a new job to see there is an option for affordable furniture right at their fingertips. With just a click they will be navigated to IKEA.com to shop and learn more about the company.