Summary
- Campaign: Bollywood Billys
- Brand: Ikea
- Product: Home furnishing products
- Target Audience: Indian consumers familiar with Bollywood cinema
- Goal: Increase brand awareness and connect with the audience through relatable pop culture references
- Key Element: Playful wordplay using iconic Bollywood dialogues and Ikea product names
Ikea Gets Desi: A Playful Take on Home Furnishings
Ikea launched a clever and engaging OOH (Out-of-Home) advertising campaign across Mumbai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. The campaign, titled “Bollywood Billys,” aimed to connect with the Indian audience on a familiar level by using iconic Bollywood movie references.
The campaign featured a series of billboards and displays that cleverly paired popular movie dialogues with the names of Ikea products. For example, one ad used the famous line “BILLY, BILLY, BILLY; Aaja, Aaja, Aaja” (referencing a song from the movie “Jumana”) alongside the Ikea BILLY bookshelf. Similarly, other ads used references like “TAGGADeley” (meaning “hurry up” in Hindi) for a clock or “Mungaru MALM e” (a play on the song “Mungaru Malhar” and the MALM dresser).
These iconic dialogues hold a special place in people’s hearts—just as our product names have become memorable worldwide. We are globally known for creating strong pop culture moments in advertising, but in India, we want to bring more nuance to every market we communicate with. By pairing our products with these classic lines and songs, we’re bringing IKEA closer to home and adding a touch of humour that everyone can enjoy.
– Jayendra Gupta, Country Integrated Media Manager
This witty wordplay resonated with the audience, creating a sense of nostalgia and humor. By tapping into Bollywood’s immense popularity in India, Ikea successfully connected with its target audience and made its products more relatable. The campaign highlighted the functionality and versatility of Ikea products while positioning them as a stylish and accessible option for Indian homes.
