Al-Futtaim IKEA spotlights 'Small Talk, Big Gestures' this Ramadan

Al-Futtaim IKEA has launched its Ramadan 2026 campaign, building on its ‘Here To Be Part of Your Story‘ brand platform by placing everyday family narratives at the heart of the campaign.

‘Small Talk, Big Gestures’, makes itself at home by spotlighting the human qualities of big gatherings typically assosicated with Ramadan. Developed in partnership with Memac Ogilvy, the campaign has reached audiences across the UAE, Qatar and Oman though an integrated roll out. Through a series of visuals, nuanced family dynamics and expressions of care are captured and posted across Al-Futtaim IKEA’s social channels to engage audiences where they are most active, facilitating shareable, emotional storytelling.

The insight and idea

Through research and audience segmentation, Al-Futtaim IKEA found that a large majority of people in the region feel that their homes reflect who they are. During Ramadan, that feeling becomes even stronger.

Digging into this insight, Al-Futtaim IKEA picked up on the everyday habits that unfold at these gatherings. The loving elder in the family with few words but a warm pot of tea ready after Iftar, the young cousin who can’t quite form a full sentence yet, but gifts aunts and uncles custom drawings, the doting mother who makes sure everyone is well-fed before joining the meal herself.

“We observed that while large family gatherings are central, a part of Ramadan often resides in the ‘small talk’ exchanged and the ‘big gestures’ offered – be it a perfectly set Iftar table, a comfortable corner for late-night conversations, or an organised kitchen that eases hosting,” said Carla Klumpenaar, General Manager – Marketing, Communications & Interior Design, Al-Futtaim IKEA UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman.

Therefore, the narrative positions Al-Futtaim IKEA as a ‘quiet enabler’ in those scenes. The campaign is an ’empathetic response’ to to these findings, showcasing how Al-Futtaim IKEA products and solutions, “like the GOKVÄLLÅ collection or flexible storage and lighting, become essential facilitators of these authentic, heartwarming moments – all linked to our vision for a better everyday life at home,” Klumpenaar explained.

As audiences sees textiles, lighting, storage and tableware creating atmosphere, adding comfort and making life a little easier, “the emotional center is always the people,” said Klumpenaar.

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The bigger picture

Al-Futtaim IKEA’s objective for the campaign stems from the brand’s purpose to make everyday life for its customers better. The brand has strive to go beyond a purchase and become a permanent function in the daily lives of consumers in the region.

“This naturally pushes us to think beyond transactional exchanges and towards becoming a reliable partner in people’s lives,” said Klumpenaar.

To achieve this objective, Al-Futtaim IKEA has extended its role in Ramadan to in-person, experiential moments that encourage the making of memories. The brand has included offerings such as Iftar buffets, meal boxes and curated room settings, emphasising the emotional value it adds to consumers lives.

As the home transcends from a functional setting to a place for connection, IKEA showcases its reliability in curating a holistic space for these moments.

“Our series of stories, for example, don’t just feature furniture – they capture the different dynamics between family members, the kind of conversations they share, and most importantly, the gestures they make for one another,” said Klumpenaar.

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Cutting through the noise

Ramadan is one of the most active and expressive moments on the marketing calendar. Many brands want to be part of the conversation. To cut through the noise, Klumpenaar advises building on three elements to truly stand out: relevance, usefulness and authenticity.

To be relevant, she suggests that understanding what life really looks during Ramadan in the region is essential. “That is why, at Al-Futtaim IKEA, we focus on relatable scenes,” she said. These are the moments in busy kitchens, late-night conversations and mixed generations under one roof.

“When people recognise themselves, they pay attention,” she said.

Furthermore, linking this understanding to providing a useful solution to a relatable problem is a key differentiator between a one-time-purchase and a permanent installation in a home. Klumpenaar advises to contribute something tangible to the consumer.

“This can be value in the form of offers,” she said, “but it can also be ideas, tools or services that make the month easier; whether that’s storage tips, flexible seating solutions or simple ways to host more people around the table.”

Lastly, “authenticity is the final filter,” Klumpenaar said, advising against a communication gap where a brand is present during the Holy Month only to disappear for the rest of the year. “Audiences feel the gap,” she said. “The campaigns that cut through are the ones where the Ramadan story is clearly connected to what the brand stands for all year round.”

Measuring what matters

To hold the campaign accountable to its objective, Al-Futtaim IKEA measured a successful Ramadan campaign against the brand, the business and the community.

On the brand side, IKEA is measuring at how the campaign shifts perception, considering whether more people seeing Al-Futtaim IKEA as relevant to their Ramadan. Tracking sentiment on if consumers’ needs at home felt understood by the brand.

“We’ll track indicators such as reach, engagement, consideration, and affinity, in line with how we evaluate previous campaigns,” said Klumpenaar.

In terms of commercial success, IKEA is monitoring traffic to its stores and websites, performance of key Ramadan ranges such as GOKVÄLLÅ, and participation in the Iftar buffets, takeaway meals and Swedish Food Market offers. “These are important signals that the campaign is not only inspiring people but also helping them act on that inspiration,” said Klumpenaar.

Finally, the brand considers the campaign’s impact on building community in the region. “Here, we look at participation in initiatives like the Iftar Meal Boxes,” said Klumpenaar. “Those numbers help us understand if we are contributing positively to the spirit of the month, not just the commercial activity around it.”

“If we can look back and see that we have strengthened our relationship with customers, delivered healthy business results and made a meaningful contribution to the communities we serve, then we can say the Ramadan campaign has truly been successful,” Klumpenaar concluded.

Credits:

Client: Al-Futtaim IKEA

Agency: Memac Ogilvy