In Class Blog Assignment

Ikea is using social media to support its branding campaign by engaging with their community and giving them the opportunity to capture "the emotions of home" and share it with America. The America at Home project gives millions the chance the share their photos of home and participate in the contest for best photos. The favorites selected will be used in the America at Home book while the winners will also receive $1,000. Photos can include anything from family, friends, pets, ceremonies, or traditions. There is a link on the Ikea homepage to the America at Home page which allows anyone within the Ikea community to take part in this project.

The point of the America at Home page from a social media/PR perspective is that it is bringing the community together and engaging in conversational marketing. They are engaging in the different cultures of their community and listening to the people of America. A picture is worth a thousand words and these photos are being submitted by people all over America. It is bringing different communities together as one.

Brian Solis' newest post talks about what makes the most effective campaigns and how engaging in conversational marketing makes these campaigns successful. Ikea's company measures up to Brian Solis' newest post by engaging in conversational marketing and studying the culture of the surrounding communities. Brian mentions that the most effective campaigns will "place people in front of brands." Ikea is honest and sincere with the intentions of their campaign and they "humanize" their story with their audience/customers. Brian mentions that as long as you listen to people and study the culture of their community then conversational marketing and conversations can become one, which is what Ikea is trying to do with their new at home campaign.

The "Home is the most important place in the world" theme is important because it relates to the customers of Ikea. They want to know why they should be interested in products from Ikea or why they should buy things from Ikea. Well, it's simple really. Ikea is there in order to make your home better and if your home is the most important place in the world to you, then you want it to be filled with things that you love.

Ikea's UK approach (Not Going Anywhere) differs from from the U.S. approach because the website is not as developed and informative. There is only one little section of information about submitting the photos. Also, the photos are easier to see on the map of the U.S. site. However, what I do like better about the UK site is that when you click on a picture you not only get to see the picture but you can see a quote by the person right underneath it. So you can read some of the people's feelings and emotions about their homes and why they enjoy them so much. The U.S. approach is a little more fancy and detailed, but the U.K. approach is not bad just more simple in terms of creativity and detail.