IKEA: The Co-Worker
Open the game- Brand
- IKEA
- Year
- 2024
- Objective
- Brand image
- Industry
- Retail
- Mechanic
- Simulation
Objective
IKEA sought to attract younger talent to its workforce by introducing career opportunities and company culture through gaming, creating an unconventional recruitment funnel that positioned work as an engaging experience. The 'Careers Done Different' campaign aimed to reshape employer perception among Gen Z players by gamifying the hiring process and showcasing real horizontal career paths within the company.
Solution
An authentic virtual IKEA store built within Roblox where players assumed roles across seven job positions including Sales Co-Worker, Interior Design Co-Worker, Sales Team Leader, and Food Team Leader. Players progressed through horizontal career paths by earning experience points through mini-games set in the showroom, Swedish food market, and bistro, mirroring IKEA's real organizational structure and allowing role-switching. Ten positions offered paid employment contracts at £13.15/hour (IKEA's London rate); all players earned exclusive in-game cosmetics. The experience was seeded through organic TikTok duets and Instagram videos from players, generating substantial earned media.
Results
178,000+ applications received within the two-week application window. The experience drew 6.7 million Roblox visits and generated 2,000+ news articles totaling 16 billion earned media impressions. Real-world IKEA job applications increased by 50% during the May/June 2024 hiring period. Post-campaign research showed 72% of players improved their perception of IKEA as an employer. Ten candidates were hired and began roles as paid virtual co-workers on June 24, 2024.
