Leading home furnishing retailer IKEA has launched its first ever Christmas campaign for the UK and Ireland today.

The seasonal ad, created by independent London creative agency, Mother, encourages people to defy ‘home shame’ and open up their homes to guests this festive season.

The campaign kicks off with an advert featuring a couple who become racked with ‘home shame’ when they’re faced with impending guests.

Suddenly, a whole host of ornaments and objects come to life and taunt them about the state of their home by performing an original grime track, voiced by legendary MC D Double E. Deciding to take action, the couple spruce up their place with some simple IKEA solutions, and Silence the Critics once and for all.

Against the tide
The advert deliberately goes against the tide of over-sentimetal Christmas ads, and aims to delight audiences with its humourous, irreverent take on festive hosting.

The campaign will launch with the film across broadcast and VOD TV, cinema and digital media on 8th November. The 90”, 60” and 20” edits are fully supported with OOH, press, CRM and PR.

Bespoke social content features three films, showing how to tackle potential home shame with simple changes using handy tips and IKEA products.

In-store events
Complementing the campaign, IKEA is hosting a series of in-store events showing customers how easy it is to get their home party-ready, from virtual reality makeovers to ‘Christmas Treetorials’ and hosting hacks.

UK and Ireland County Marketing Manager, Sarah Green, said: “Our first IKEA Christmas advert focuses on the phenomenon of ‘home shame’ – encouraging people to overcome the negative voices in their head holding them back from open up their homes.

“It was born from the common feeling, that along with the seasonal joys, a lot of us feel a looming sense of dread when it comes to hosting others with many of us feel ashamed of our homes over the Christmas period.

“We believe that every home can and should be worthy of a get-together and that with a little imagination, some clever products and ideas, there’s no reason not to be proud to invite your nearest and dearest over.

“This campaign aims to inspire us all to get our homes party-ready and ‘Silence the Critics’, once and for all.”

‘Silence the Critics’
‘Silence the Critics’ opens with a small flat that’s seen better days. The family who live there are going about their business when the woman’s phone pings.

It’s her friend confirming they’re still on for dinner at her home tonight. She hesitates before replying, looking around at the state of the flat.

As the woman wonders whether to have her friends over, the bespoke rap track, performed by D Double E, kicks in. Inanimate objects come to life, from lucky cats and novelty teapots, bringing the woman’s insecurities about her home to life through the rap.

The state of the house is ridiculed by an array of figurines, from the tired furnishings and cracked walls to the lack of space.

Just as a toy dinosaur begins to rap more devastating blows, the woman’s hand appears and chucks him into the toy chest.

Watched in stunned silence by their critical belongings, the couple transform their place, getting it ready for dinner with friends.

They replace an outdated mirror with a stylish IKEA one, give the old sofa a new lease of life with an IKEA cover, and hang a framed IKEA print over the crack in the wall.