Everyone knows what IKEA looks like. We defined what they sound like.

By building music from the objects people live with every day, we translated IKEA’s scale into a sound rooted in everyday life and designed to grow over time. Blending strategy, soul, and Scandinavian charm became the foundation of a sonic identity built to last.

Challenge

IKEA Poland needed a sonic identity that could live as confidently as its iconic visual identity. One that felt global but local, playful yet purposeful, and flexible enough for the many, while staying true to the brand's promise of “Your better home.”

Our mission was to create a distinctive, future-proof sonic ecosystem that reflects IKEA Poland’s unique position as both a global brand and a local favourite. To succeed, the sound needed to be:

  • Authentic: aligned with the brand's ethos and design thinking, ensuring the identity is not an interpretation of the brand but an extension of it.

  • Recognisable: as instantly familiar as IKEA’s iconic visuals and typography.

  • Flexible: adaptable across radio, social, retail and future campaigns.

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Approach

We started from scratch, without an instruction manual.

First, we dug deep into IKEA’s brand DNA. We laid out all the creative pieces on the floor and began with an audit of IKEA’s past campaigns, sonic expressions used and analyzed their competitors soundscapes to identify opportunities for differentiation.

IKEA has been present in Poland for over 30 years, where it has designed and manufactured a large part of its products and earned its place in most people’s homes.

To capture this relationship in sound, we went further in exploring the brand’s Swedish roots, its Polish connection, and even brought in a linguist to decode the brand’s voice and identity to translate the way IKEA feels and speaks to its audiences.

The results of our audit revealed a lack of consistency in music and sound selection, with choices being based more so in their fit for the campaign rather than their suitability for the brand’s characteristics.

The next step was to craft a detailed music strategy defining the key brand traits: playful, bold, “for the many.”

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Solution

Then came the creative leap. If IKEA designs the objects that fill our homes, why shouldn’t those objects inspire the music?

Inside a foley studio, we recorded more than 200 unique sounds created by real IKEA products turning them into musical instruments. From the squeak of a children’s chair to footsteps on a doormat and the soft thud of a rug hitting the floor, every sound felt instantly familiar.

These raw recordings were handed to a Polish producer and percussionist, Qba Janicki, known for unconventional sound exploration, to collaborate on a sound that resulted in a full sonic branding ecosystem. Built entirely from IKEA’s own objects, we included:

  • A new sonic logo, with bespoke Gen Z and Christmas arrangements

  • Six audio stickers designed for social media

  • Two long-form radio tracks, IKEA Poland’s most important channel

  • A bespoke sample library for future brand compositions


Rather than treating each campaign in isolation, this sonic identity was designed to build IKEA’s brand equity over time, becoming a consistent part of its overall brand experience.

At the same time, it was tailored and flexible to the local Polish market, giving a global brand a sound that feels relevant, familiar and rooted in the everyday lives of its Polish customers.

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Awards

As a result, The Sound of IKEA Poland was shortlisted for two awards:

The Clio Music Awards 2026: 
Shortlisted in Use of Music, Sonic Branding

Music+Sound Awards 2025:
Shortlisted in Best Sonic Branding

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