IKEA proves it’s there for every jump scare this season with “Halloween Essentials”—an integrated campaign by INGO that spotlights the SMÅNUNNEÖRT duvet cover, the KLOTSTARR cushion, and the MYRULL throw. The idea taps a universal truth: when horror-movie nights get tense, we all reach for soft furnishings. With punchy print, OOH, and social moments, the work rolls out across MENA—with a significant focus on the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—from Monday through early November.

Comfort as a shield

The creative lens is simple and funny: a spooky night in with loved ones can be just as thrilling as a big costume party out. By placing textiles front and center, IKEA reframes the brand’s soft goods as the essential companion—and the ultimate shield—against on-screen frights.

Minimal art direction keeps the products hero: tactile textures, close crops, and cozy color palettes make the duvet cover, cushion, and throw feel both desirable and delightfully practical.

From living room to billboard

The campaign stretches from punchy print placements to OOH spots and bite-sized social media edits. Each execution keeps the same core gag—hands instinctively grabbing a cushion or pulling up a duvet—so the system is consistent and instantly readable in transit environments.

Photographed by Ale Burset, the imagery balances editorial polish with everyday relatability, while media planning by EssenceMediacom ensures visibility throughout the spooky season.

A partnership built on truths

IKEA and INGO continue a run of deceptively simple, insight-driven work—following standouts like Proudly Second Best, Guilty Pets, and Supporting First Steps. As Dan Fisher, Global Chief Creative Officer at INGO, notes, great ideas start with human truths; here, it’s that instinct to hide behind the nearest cushion the moment the soundtrack spikes.

Executive Creative Directors Nicolás López and Fernando Montero push the seasonal angle without clichés: no monsters, no fake blood, no pumpkins—just everyday products re-cast as Halloween essentials.

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

Una publicación compartida por IKEA UAE (@ikeauae)

Why it works for OOH

The concept is instantly legible, product-centric, and repeatable—a trifecta for OOH. Big formats reward texture and scale; the textiles’ folds and fibers become the visual hook, while the insight lands in a second. In commuter settings across UAE and the wider MENA region, the message reads fast and sticks.

For brands and Outdoor advertising companies exploring seasonal storytelling, Halloween Essentials is a blueprint: take a relatable behavior, hero a simple product solution, and execute it with editorial restraint.

Final thoughts

IKEA turns an at-home ritual into a sharp seasonal platform—proof that OOH can deliver emotion and utility in the same frame. As audiences binge horror marathons through early November, a cushion, throw, or duvet might just be the most practical costume of all.