In a passionate session at MAD//Fest, Belén Frau, Global Communication & Positioning Manager at IKEA Retail, discussed how the brand is expanding into new markets.
The talk was a manifesto for how businesses can remain relevant in an unpredictable world by staying true to purpose while being continuing to evolve.
Purpose builds trust, and trust drives growth
At the heart of IKEA’s approach is a simple mission: “to create a better everyday life for the many people.” For Belén, this phrase isn’t just a marketing slogan. “It guides everything we do,” she explained, “it’s about better connection, better access, and better relevance to the culture that people are living today.”
She argued that in a world that’s constantly changing, clarity of purpose is essential for building trust, and that trust is now the most important driver of business growth. “It’s not just about being physically present anymore,” said Belén, “it’s about cultural, emotional, and social presence too.”
Cultural proximity, not just physical proximity
IKEA’s recent ventures illustrate its mission. New city-centre stores like the one on Oxford Street, show, she said, how it is engaging with culture.
“People expect IKEA to sell flatpacks and meatballs,” Belén said, “but what we’re doing now is about assembling relevance instead.” One example she shared was IKEA+, a four-day cultural event staged during Paris Fashion Week. The retailer hosted music, talks, design experiences, and a photography exhibition curated by Annie Leibovitz, alongside emerging global talent.
“We weren’t there to flex our brand,” Belén said. “We were there to invite people in, to be inclusive, to offer access where there usually isn’t any. One young photographer told us, ‘this is the first time not just my work, but me, is being seen’ and that was so powerful.”
Showing up where it matters
In London, ahead of the new Oxford Street store launch, IKEA teamed up with party culture collective Lap 54 to reimagine the housewarming party, taking it out of the home and into the city. “We hosted pop-up parties in unexpected places like coffee shops, libraries, and kebab shops,” said Belén. “We didn’t want people to come to us, we wanted to go to where they already are.”
80% of the guests at these events were young people, a core audience the brand wants to build affinity with. “The store opens the door,” Belén added, “but it’s the experience that opens the heart.”
Listening fuels innovation
Fuelling IKEA’s cultural ventures different is deep research into its audience. “We run the biggest life at home study in the world,” said Belén. “Every year we interview over 38,000 people in more than 38 countries to really understand what brings joy at home, what challenges people face, and how we can help.”
One key finding that stood out was that nearly half of respondents said their real life at home is not represented in media or advertising.
“We do hundreds of home visits, we read every comment, we watch social media. It’s not about showing up to be trendy, it’s about showing up because we’ve listened, and we’re needed.”
Relevance as a growth engine
Belén closed her talk with a reflection: that the brands shaping the future are the ones that bring together people, passion, purpose, and profit. “We have to show up not just everywhere, but where it matters. Not louder, just more honest. Not hectic, just authentic,” she said.
