IKEA Hosts Sleepover For 100 Lucky Facebook Fans

IKEA hosted a sleepover at its Essex store in the U.K., giving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for customers and fans to spend the night inside its signature furniture warehouse. The whole idea for this PR event was inspired by a Facebook group called  ”I wanna have a sleepover in IKEA.” Nearly 100,000 people have joined the group and Ikea granted 100 lucky winners their wish. The late-November event had a minimum age of 25 and a strict pajamas-only dress code. Guests were given goodie bags containing eye mask, midnight snacks, towel and slippers, and more. The sleepover also featured entertainment ranging from massages and manicures to movies and even a bedtime story reading by a reality-TV celebrity. A sleep expert was on hand with tips for getting a good night’s rest, including how to test a mattress and choose the right bedding for different styles.

This was not the first time IKEA utilized social media as inspiration for events. The furniture retailer has sponsored a similar event in Australia in March, when it recruited “50 female flat-pack fans” on its Australian Facebook page for a night of chick flicks, pampering massages and waiter service from handsome men — along with the chance to assemble small pieces of furniture. Lois Blenkinsop, IKEA’s U.K. PR and internal communications manager, said in a statement:

Social media has opened up a unique platform for us to interact directly with our customers. Listening to what they want is what we do best, and the Big Sleepover is just one example of how we’re using such instant and open feedback to better inform our marketing activity.

Check out footage from IKEA’s Big Sleepover below!

IKEA

(via PSFK)