IKEA Editorial Research
Validating IKEA’s launch based commercial messages to ensure global, consumer centric relevant communication
June 2022 - August 2023
Strategy & Plan IKEA Marketing and Communications
UX Researcher
About this project
The purpose of the editorial calendar at IKEA’s global content production department is to support the different content assignments to produce more effective and consumer centric communication.
The calendar includes both message frameworks for each launch period (4 launches per year) and a summary of the planned content deliveries from each assignment.
The message framework for each launch period is crafted by interpreting IKEA’s commercial priorities for the FY (financial year), consumer emotional territory research and other business relevant data.
The validation of the message framework is taking place to ensure what we want to say to our consumers at any given period in time is driving a positive perception of the IKEA brand. The goal here is to keep customer needs for the season in focus and demonstrates a point of view through which IKEA can help make everyday life better for people.
Role
As UX researcher, I have been responsible for defining the validation process and conducting the research needed for each launch. Together with a creative planner, the insights and findings of the research are used to refine the message framework and editorial plan.
Example objective that was briefed for a launch validation:
Within the context of ‘home’ discover what Spring means to customers, and their living spaces. What are the opportunities that result for IKEA?
Process
1. Understand
Compiling and understanding all data and insights points across the IKEA value chain that have defined the commercial message for the respective launch
2. Define
Defining the different research methods and customer segments needed to validate/invalidate the commercial message
3. Design
Design the tests, interviews and all material that is needed for the research
4. Plan and recruit
Planning the research (surveys, interview scripts etc.) and recruiting participants
5. Conduct and compile
Leading moderated interviews and compiling all the data and results of moderated interviews and quantitative surveys
6. Analyse
Mapping and analysing the results and data together with the creative planner
Participants
For the L4 message framework validation, I conducted surveys and moderated interviews with different segments across the displayed focus markets.
Segments:
18-90 living without children and have purchased within the outdoor category in the past 12 months at IKEA
18-90 living with children and have purchased within the outdoor category in the past 12 months at IKEA
Results
Once the results were mapped and contextualised, the insights and findings were funnelled back into the editorial calendar. The impact of the research work varies between the different launches. For some of the launch message framework only minor adjustments took place and in others whole messages were re-written due to the outcome of the research. Overall, the research secured that whatever commercial message IKEA wants to communicate is anchored and based on real consumer needs and problems.
With the delivered research report we also provided potential communication opportunities, consumer activities within the home as a starting point for creating communication and “how might we” statements that can be briefed to the content teams and cater for a starting point in their ideation work.
(The research as well as the commercial messages are subject to a NDA and cannot be displayed here)
Reflections
Working as a UX Researcher in a global context comes with several challenges. The biggest challenge that I have faced in this project were sample sizes and sufficient representation considering that the work we are influencing is determining content and communication created for 59 markets. Time and budget constraints but also research tools with limited accessibility to recruit participants globally meant we had to divert and change our aim to conduct research on a global scale.
More importantly, in our research deliverables and when presenting the results a priority always has been to raise awareness. Based on the selected markets and participants the research does not fulfil the requirements and diversity of a globally representative research study.
