IKEA'S strategy that EVERYONE wll be talking about before the El CLASICO.

October 28, 2025.

IKEA MARKETING STRATEGY

Ikea has once again surprised the marketing world with a clever, creative, and highly symbolic action.

 They mark the national iconic  match between Real Madrid and Barcelona deploying a giant banner in fornt of the Santiago Bernabeu with a clear message: "Some issues are better resolver off the field". This action is part of his campaign "What happens at home starts in the kitchen".

The campaign will be visible until the 2 of november, giving it enough time to generate converstaion, be shared on socials media, and have impact beyond the day of the match.

The execution of the Action

The advertising banner is located in a visible spot in front of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, makes a direct reference to the rivalry between the two giants of Spanish football. Aware that excitement for the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona is at its peak, IKEA leverages this visibility to connect with a wide and passionate audience.

The message proposes that not everything is found in sports competition, that there is also room for dialgogue, leaving the tensions of confrontation and recovering the coexistence.In fact, the communication suggests that traditional pre-game meals or meetings between management teams could resume their role as a space for reconciliation.

Why does this campaign work?

First, because it starts with a great creative idea, the home as a place of resolution, the kitchen as the epicenter, and sports as a metaphor. That connection between different territories (sports and home) creates surprise and interest.

Second, because the execution is relevant, installing the banner in front of the Bernabéu at a time of maximum audience attention ensures that the message will be seen, commented on, and shared.

Third, because it fits with the brand's DNA, IKEA has always thrived on communicating democratic design, functionality, accessibility... this action adds emotion, conversation, community.

Fourth, because it leverages a huge cultural platform, the classic Real Madrid and Barcelona match is not just a football game, it is a social phenomenon, which guarantees coverage and resonance.

And fifth, because it communicates values that are important to today's consumers. Community, dialogue, coexistence, home as a refuge, conflict resolution... all of which resonate in a broader social context.

This strategy exemplifies how a great idea,  relevant, and relevant cultural insight, they positioning the brand as part of the conversation about home, about life that unfolds around the kitchen and the people coming together.

In a world saturated with traditional advertising, this initiative shows that brands can gain relevance when they decide to go beyond their product, when they connect with values, cultural moments, and emotions. IKEA has understood that even its football audience can reflect on home, coexistence, and the table when presented with the right message at the right time, promoting a vision of the home as a space for dialogue, encounter, and life. And by inviting two of the biggest teams in world soccer to “settle their differences off the field,” the brand achieves immediate visibility, a powerful message, and an emotional connection with its audience.

Also we have to talk about the to main marketing strategies they use, for the campaign. 

IKEA use an emotional marketing to transform the kitchen in a symbol of communication, empathy, and unity, moving away from the simple functional concept of the home. With its message, “Some issues are better resolved off the field,” the brand connects with universal human values such as dialogue and coexistence, even in a context of rivalry such as Real Madrid- Barcelona. 

In this way, it humanizes its image by presenting itself as a brand with purpose, approachable and authentic, inviting understanding with humor and simplicity. Its positive and conciliatory tone reinforces the perception of IKEA as a warm and optimistic brand, capable of generating a lasting emotional memory that strengthens consumer loyalty beyond the immediate purchase.

Also they use the opportunity marketing, taking advantage of the cultural moment of greatest attention: the classic Real Madrid–Barça match, one of the most watched events of the year. With perfect timing, it launched its campaign just before the match, installing a banner in front of the Bernabéu stadium at the peak of media and emotional excitement. 

Its message, which linked soccer with cooking in a natural and humorous way, achieved coherence and contextual relevance by contrasting rivalry and reconciliation. Thanks to this precise execution, the brand generated widespread organic, networks, and users spontaneously shared the action obtaining free publicity and fostering positive social conversation that increased both its visibility and its emotional connection with the public.

References

Ballesteros, M. (2025, 25 octubre). El Clásico entre Real Madrid y Barcelona no tendrá comida de directivas. ElDesmarque. https://www.eldesmarque.com/futbol/liga-1a-division/20251025/clasico-real-madrid-barcelona-no-tendra-comida-directivas-previa-partido_300792450.html

Madrid, E. (2025, 5 junio). Qué es el Marketing Emocional. EAE Madrid. https://www.eaemadrid.com/es/blog/que-es-el-marketing-emocional

Moraes, T. (2022, 3 noviembre). Marketing de oportunidades: qué es y cómo aplicarlo en el comercio electrónico. E-commerce E Marketing Digital: Agência e-Plus. https://www.agenciaeplus.com.br/es/marketing-de-oportunidade-o-que-e-e-como-aplicar-no-e-commerce/

Rodriguez, V. (2025, 9 octubre). IKEA invita al Real Madrid y al Barça a resolver sus diferencias «fuera del campo». Marketing Directo. https://www.marketingdirecto.com/creacion/campanas-de-marketing/ikea-invita-real-madrid-barca-resolver-diferencias-fuera-del-campo

octub