IKEA Showcases Flooded Rooms To Drive Home Emergency In Thailand

Image via Park Wannasiri / VML Thailand

IKEA is stepping in to offer a lifeline to those hit hardest by the worst flooding Northern Thailand has seen in 30 years. In a campaign with heart, the furniture giant has launched the Flooded Room initiative, reimagining its pristine showroom spaces as dingy, flooded homes devastated by the disaster. At the end of it, the company hopes to raise awareness and encourage donations of IKEA furniture to help rebuild the homes and lives of flood victims.

From October 1 to 31, 2024, IKEA is teaming up with the Mirror Foundation to collect and distribute furniture to families whose homes have been swept away by the deluge. The Swedish furniture giant is calling on customers to donate or sell their IKEA pieces, promising to deliver these items directly to those treading water in the aftermath.

Image via Park Wannasiri / VML Thailand

Unsettling new imagery, dreamed up by advertising agency VML Thailand, depicts once-cozy abodes as though they’ve been swallowed by floodwaters, leaving behind partially submerged homeware and dirt-spattered walls.

The visuals, which have also been displayed in IKEA’s Thailand stores, capture the emotional toll of losing a home.

Image via Park Wannasiri / VML Thailand

Instead of prices, the brand uses numbers to highlight the stories behind the multi-generational families who occupied these houses and their personal connections to the furniture. For instance, a mother who had cooked 730 meals with her stove was forced to give it up, while the couch had gathered everyone at home 365 days a year.

“In a creative twist, IKEA transformed its iconic, beautifully styled rooms into flooded spaces to raise awareness. We’re calling on everyone to donate IKEA furniture, which will be delivered directly to those in need,” explains Park Wannasiri, VML Thailand’s chief creative director, in a statement.

Wannasiri elaborates that the campaign has already compelled customers to trade in or give away their sofas.

IKEA’s support extends beyond donations, offering free delivery services for customers in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, two areas hit hard by the floods, to ensure essential items like beds and tables reach those in need without added stress.

Image via Park Wannasiri / VML Thailand

[via Park Wannasiri / VML Thailand, Bangkok Post, Thaiger, images via Park Wannasiri / VML Thailand]