In a volatile world, your home is your refuge

Ikea's new ad by TBWA Singapore comes in good timing. The uncertainty of the world and our future in it seesaws by the day. The region watches the US in a precariously close presidential race; lockdowns and new pandemic cases resurface in some countries; social distancing and strict regulations continue to bind us as the holiday season approaches; and ambiguity plagues 2021’s economic health.

The ad doesn’t touch on any of these issues above, but it doesn’t have to. What it says instead is that amid the external distresses that envelop us in the outside world, the everyday (sometimes imperfect) moments at home can be a great source of comfort.

Whether it’s your toddler causing a ruckus just as you’ve rocked your newborn to sleep, surprising your partner with a meal as they manage WFH stress, or falling asleep on the couch with your cucumber face mask still on, this ad reminds us that we’re lucky to even have these moments in the first place. But sadly, the line between home and the outside world is not always so clear-cut for those who have less.

The video itself is not ground-breaking. In true Singaporean style, it’s a montage of feel-good moments treated with that trademark soft light Ad Nut sees so often in local insurance ads, paired with a soothing voiceover and a vague message of hope at the end. Sometimes Ad Nut misses Ikea’s grungier, bolder voice it used so well in the past (see this timeless human catalogue example), but this new direction towards more saccharine messaging is not always bad.

The campaign will air across TV, digital and social in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

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