During my last Winter Quarter at Stanford, I had the pleasure of taking a class called "Needfinding." Throughout the quarter, we learned how to find needs consumers have and solutions for companies that would both solve the consumers' needs and fit the companies' brands. Our final project focused on how IKEA can better cater towards parents during the pandemic. We focused on solutions that would best remedy limited space, constant messes, and encourage parents that toys can bring normalcy to kids.
I worked on designing a marketing strategy to better help IKEA emphasize how toys can bring kids normalcy during COVID-19. ​

As more millennials become parents, they turn to the internet to answer their questions. IKEA’s social media presence has been fairly quiet in recent years, averaging about 4K likes per Instagram post versus their competitor, Target, who rakes in 40K likes per Instagram post.
IKEA has to have a better online presence during this digital age of work from home and Zoom school. They can reach another generation of parents and ultimately emphasize how it is possible for their child to have a normal childhood during this uncertain time. YouTube is a great platform to start on because it is filled with the best guidance on nearly every topic one can think of. Eye-catching titles can boost interactions and likes.

Toys have been a constant during the pandemic. Many childhood experiences, like going to Disneyland or going to the park with friends, are no longer accessible with COVID restrictions. Therefore, IKEA needs to emphasize how normal hasn’t left towards parents online.

To read more about our research and other solutions, please feel free to browse below. If the file below doesn't work, you can access our project here.