Advertising Towards SDGs
The UN has 17 Sustainable Development Goals that serve as a call to action to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that everyone enjoys health, justice, and prosperity.
IKEA
Through their campaigns, they have addressed a variety of issues related to UN SDGs. Some of the main ones are:
Gender Equality
IKEA has done multiple campaigns that address women’s rights and gender equality. Just to name a few, they have had campaigns titled “IKEA for a safe home”, “Equality starts at home”, and “Life at home 2050”.
IKEA for a Safe Home
IKEA for a safe home was a campaign in the Czech Republic that highlighted the hidden struggles of domestic violence. To bring attention to the problem, IKEA worked along with NGOs to display the struggles through video ads, radio and Spotify ads, and through installations in IKEA stores. This campaign was important to spark conversations about domestic violence. Through discussions, shame and victim blaming can be decreased. Bringing awareness to issues like this begins to provide people with the tools necessary to help guide individuals who are struggling.
For the campaign “Equality starts at home”, IKEA addressed the issue of domestic violence again, but in Portugal. They started with a podcast episode through IKEA Portugal’s Podcast Igualmente (Podcast Equality). The podcast features guests from a variety of backgrounds to discuss various topics related to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. Through the podcast, they give voice to issues of equality, tell stories to inspire others, and help reshape people’s attitudes towards these issues in hopes of inspiring each other to create a more equal society.
Additionally, IKEA collaborated with the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality to reinforce its support for the empowerment of women victims of domestic violence. They provided financial support to ensure welcoming, comfortable, and secure homes for victims of violence, they provided direct access to job interviews through the IKEA Portugal recruitment team, and they started an IKEA customer support line where victims of domestic violence could seek help.
In 2024, IKEA Japan launched a project aimed at promoting equality. They imagined the world people would want to live in in 2050, noting the current discrepancies between men and women in society.
