IKEA x Partnerships: Why IKEA partnerships work so well

IKEA's strategic partnerships allows it to tap into a wider audience by better leveraging their logistical prowess.

Photo credit: CBNC

IKEA is a globally recognized brand when it comes to design in and out of the home. I mean there is so much to like: its clean, accessbile and most importantly affordable.

But I think what really sets them apart from other competing brands is their willingness to partner with the right brands to product some awesome collaborations.

And I think this has a significant impact on their bottom line as a result.

How IKEA does it

I think the really important part to understand is that IKEA is in NOT in the furniture and furnishing business.

Okay well, maybe they are a bit but they are primarily in logistics, from their flat pack shipping to their easy assembly of their products.

To understand the repeated success of IKEA's partnerships, it's useful to outline their typical strategy in a step-by-step process:

• Identify a Gap: IKEA identifies a product or market gap that aligns with their brand values but requires expertise they don't possess.
• Choose the Right Partner: The selected partner excels in the specific area where IKEA sees an opportunity, whether it's technology, design, or market reach.
• Design Integration: IKEA integrates the partner’s strengths with its own design and logistic capabilities, ensuring the product not only fits IKEA's aesthetic but also its operational model.
• Market Testing: Before a full rollout, products are often tested in select markets to gauge consumer response and refine the offering.
• Launch and Scale: With feedback integrated, the partnership is launched globally, taking advantage of IKEA’s extensive distribution network.
• Continual Evaluation: The success of the partnership is continually evaluated, with improvements and expansions considered based on consumer demand and market trends.

Strategic Collaborations

However we can see IKEA's real impact when it comes to their carefully picked collaborations such as Sonos, Swedish House Mafia, Asus and even Lego.

Let's take a look at some of their Collaborations.

Sonos (June 2019)

Photo credit: Wired

IKEA really hadn't broken fully into the audio product segment. While they had plenty of furnishings good audio was difficult to do.

Sonos on the other hand was well known for their speakers. Often dubbed the Apple of audio products, they had a history of producing top quality, connected speakers. Their ecosystem of products allowed for a richer listening experience.

In Mid 2019, IKEA release the beginning of their SYMFONISK series: a bookshelf speaker and a table lamp with a wifi speaker. A partnership with Sonos allowed IKEA to pair the audio equipment mastery of Sonos with their Scandadavian design touch.

It also gave IKEA one of their first entries in to smart home field.

Swedish House Mafia (May 2022)

Photo credit: IKEA

Leaning on their success with Sonos, IKEA partnered with legendary trio Swedish House Mafia to bring a different perspective on what music related home furnishings could look like.

The idea was these furnishings would be designed with producingm performing and listenign to msuic at home in mind.

The OBEGRÄNSAD collection, as it was later known, ended up consisting of more than 20 furniture pieces, interior solutions and accessories (including a record player, lamp, chair and more) targeted towards music producers, DJs, and all creators who resonated with the minimal IKEA design.

Asus Republic of Gamers (February 2021)

Photo credit: IKEA

Recognizing that there was an untapped market of nearly 2.5 billion gamers at the time (Newzoo Global Games Market Report 2020), IKEA decided to get into the gaming space.

What better partner than the gaming juggernaut Asus with their Republic of Gamers gaming line. IKEA focused on what they do best: Building furniture and furnishings that would attract the typical gamer.

Blending that with stylistic references from Republic of Gamers, IKEA was able to release more main stream products like a desk, chair and drawer unit but also more gamer oriented items such as a mouse bungee, neck pillow and even a ROG themed blanket.

LEGO (August 2020)

Photo credit: IKEA

I mean who does't like LEGO? Lego and IKEA partnered to merge playfulness with functionality, introducing a storage solution that also serves as a play structure.

This collaboration was aimed at encouraging creativity and organized play in children as well as appealing to adult fans of LEGO, who appreciate the clever integration of storage and play.

Building for the future

The genius behind IKEA's partnership strategy lies not just in choosing the right collaborators but in seamlessly integrating their expertise with IKEA's world-class logistics and design philosophy.

These collaborations extend IKEA's brand into new markets and demographics, continuously revitalizing its product line and attracting new customers. By maintaining a focus on affordability, accessibility, and quality, IKEA not only sustains its competitive edge but also enhances its brand's relevance in the rapidly changing global market.

The strategic partnerships of IKEA exemplify how collaboration and innovation can go hand-in-hand, setting a benchmark in the industry that many aspire to reach.