Stockholm, Sweden – Among the countless life experiences that advertisers have leveraged in their work, several topics remain taboo. Of these, divorce stands out as a particularly unique challenge. While it is both prevalent and familiar, it is just too depressing for some brands to associate with their image. Recently however several companies, including furniture giant Ikea, have taken a risk and tackled this tough subject in the public eye.
In their new ad campaign, entitled “Where life happens,” a simple and bittersweet story unfolds. The audience sees an uncomfortable exchange as a father picks up his son from his ex’s home. In the midst of this tension, Ikea furniture acts as a comforting bridge to help the young boy Leon feel at home in his dad’s new place. The spot doesn’t feel heavy-handed, but instead conveys the sense that Ikea really does understand its customer’s lives and needs. In the end, the bold move advances Ikea’s brand image and lays a great foundation for the new campaign. For more info, including the actual video, click here: http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/sweet-ad-ikea-joins-small-group-brands-willing-talk-about-divorce-173471
Why This Matters –
In the world of medicine, our patients and their healthcare professionals deal with difficult subjects every day. From painful end-of-life discussions to addressing treatments for taboo diseases, our daily business conversations might not be seen as fit for polite company. If our industry can show that we own tackling the tough conversations with grace and candor, we can build credibility with patients and the healthcare professionals who serve them.
