Simply waving the pride flag is a convenient way for brands to grab attention in the month of June. The LGBTQIA+ community gains little from such platitudinal marketing campaigns. However, Ikea India’s new ad proves that an impactful message neither has to be preachy nor drenched in rainbow colours.
Released on World Pride Day, the brand’s digital film, The Closet, put the viewers in the same shoes as the queer community. This was the brand’s way to evoke empathy and compassion for those who are forced to hide their identity in dark corners of shame and fear of rejection.
Crafted by Leo Burnett India, the campaign centres on the thought-provoking message, “Closets are for clothes and not identities”.
Not so preachy
The over one-minute-long ad film is set in a busy Ikea store, where most people stop to read the sign outside a massive closet—”Many have lived here, can you?”
Curious customers enter the closet one by one to see what’s inside. As they take a seat and put on the provided headphones, they hear the baseless remarks that queer people are subjected to throughout their lives. “Why can’t you just fit in? Why can’t you feel attracted to the opposite gender? Are your choices normal? You don’t even look queer”.
In the end, customers are told that while they can step out of the closet, many members of the LGBTQIA+ community will continue to live inside, highlighting the need to open the doors for conversations.
The idea of making participants sit in the physical space of a closet was a belter. It symbolically reflected the long-standing societal pressures and discrimination faced by individuals forced to conceal their true identities. The film effectively conveyed a poignant message without much extravagance. It avoided becoming preachy or heavy-handed, opting instead for straightforward and accessible communication.
Even though the video has a very limited engagement so far, it’s all positive. “What a powerful message of self-expression and acceptance! Thank you, IKEA,” reacted a user in the comment section of the YouTube video, which has clocked over two thousand views. “Thanks, Ikea, for shedding some light into our closets,” read another comment.
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Playing safe is key
Brands these days are cautious about incorporating social messages into their campaigns, drawing lessons from past controversies.
Dabur’s 2021 Karva Chauth advertisement featuring a lesbian couple celebrating the Hindu festival received significant backlash. Similarly, Starbucks India faced criticism last year for their trans-inclusive ad campaign, #ItStartsWithYourName.
What was a wholesome video of a father learning to accept his transgender child’s new identity, stirred many on social media the wrong way.
“Are you in India to do business or promote wokeism nonsense,” tweeted a user. Another said, “They are promoting this culture in India, today I agree not going to Starbucks ever!! #BoycottStarbucks.”
The boycott calls that have hurt brands’ shops, stocks, and staff haven’t put an end to socially aware ad campaigns. You don’t have to be outright or aggressive to provoke meaningful conversations among the masses and gain publicity for your brand.
In the past, there have been remarkable advertisements that resonated deeply with audiences.
At the top of the list is Vicks’ ‘Generation of Care’ commercial, starring transgender activist Gauri Sawant.
The ad dramatised Gauri’s real-life journey of adopting a baby girl, reaching a wide audience with its emotional narrative.
In 2015, India wasn’t ready to openly discuss queer representation when Myntra’s Anouk brand released its commercial, The Visit. It was the country’s first ad to feature a lesbian couple. The commercial captured the couple’s anxieties as they introduced each other to their families. Anouk didn’t spell it out for the audience but simply advocated for acceptance and understanding.
Now, Ikea India seems to be following in their footsteps. The Closet commercial seems to reflect a return to the subtler campaigning methods of the past.
Brand: Ikea
Agency: Leo Burnett India
Creative Director: Pravin Sutar
Associate Creative Director: Sanjeev Tripathi
(Edited by Ratan Priya)