Adosh Sharma on how IKEA India is reshaping its marketing to capture dreams that begin at home

When IKEA opened its first Indian store in Hyderabad in August 2018, it wasn't just launching a retail outlet. The Swedish furniture giant was entering a market where home furnishing accounted for barely 4-4.5% of household spending, far below global averages. CEO Juvencio Maeztu's turning point came not in a boardroom but over masala chai at a small photography studio, where a shopkeeper's philosophy about enjoying life's simple moments helped him understand India's relationship with home and time.

The brand's India journey has been shaped by such insights. Early communication focused on welcoming consumers into IKEA stores, introducing them to the range, prices, and the life-at-home philosophy. The marketing emphasised making IKEA accessible, both physically and psychologically. 

Campaigns like #MakeEverydayBrighter in 2018 positioned the brand as an enabler of small transformations, showing how simple additions could refresh existing homes without requiring complete overhauls. It acknowledged the Indian consumer tendency to hold onto furniture with sentimental value while adding new elements around it.

IKEA's product localisation efforts reflected this understanding. Store layouts in India differed from global formats, accounting for smaller living spaces and the need for multifunctional furniture. The brand realised that Indian consumers weren't DIY-friendly, leading to expanded assembly and installation services.

In 2022, IKEA launched ‘Ghar Aa Jao,’ positioning its stores as extensions of home. The communication invited people to experience IKEA as they would their own space. The messaging tapped into the Indian value of togetherness. 

By 2024, IKEA claims its top-of-mind recall had grown from 4% at entry to 43%. The brand's presence expanded across formats: large stores in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, alongside plans for smaller city stores and an omnichannel model combining physical retail with e-commerce. Region-specific online operations launched in phases, acknowledging India's size and diversity.

New positioning aimed at building emotional connection

Now, IKEA India is introducing a new brand position: ‘It All Starts at Home.’ The shift reflects changes in how Indians use their living spaces. Kitchens, bedrooms, and balconies have become classrooms, cafés, salons, and workout corners. Homes are no longer static; they're foundations where aspirations take shape. 

"When we launched Ghar Aa Jao in 2022, the idea was to position IKEA as an extension of the home. We were inviting people into what we saw as another version of their own space—the IKEA store," explains Adosh Sharma, Country Commercial Manager, IKEA India. "Over time, as we observed how life in India is evolving—with people hustling, building their own dreams, working, and increasingly co-inhabiting—we realised that the home has become the epicentre of everything. It's where ambitions take shape and journeys begin."

The refreshed positioning doesn't change what IKEA does but shifts how it addresses consumer needs. Sharma clarifies that the intent is to be present at different life stages, whether people are starting new chapters, building families, or elevating their current lives. 

"This refreshed identity doesn't change what we do, but it does change how we address it," says Sharma. “It's also a more emotional approach. We've understood that furniture is no longer seen as a commodity; it's moving into the lifestyle space. People are more conscious of their homes, and their spaces are increasingly a reflection of who they are."

Amongst the three films, the first film features Kabita Singh, a YouTube chef who started her journey in a humble kitchen and now reaches 15 million subscribers on Kabita's Kitchen. Future films will showcase IKEA products playing subtle roles in enabling diverse dreams across Indian homes.

The Indian furniture market, valued at USD 31.51 billion in 2026, is forecast to reach USD 45.52 billion by 2031, growing at 7.63% CAGR. Home furniture accounts for 56.74% of market share, while wood dominates materials at 57.35%. The mid-range segment captured 49.37% of the market in 2025, though premium is projected to grow at 12.23% CAGR through 2031. The home decor market, valued at approximately $2 billion, is growing at over 10% CAGR but remains fragmented with regional preferences for handcrafted designs like Rajasthan's blue pottery and Madhubani paintings.

This fragmentation creates opportunity. Indian consumers seek authenticity paired with aesthetics, gravitating toward artisanal, sustainable, and locally inspired decor. The category offers high margins but low purchase frequency, making trust, curation, and storytelling more important than discounts or speed.

Building presence across touchpoints for lasting impact

Sharma emphasises that this is a long-term platform, not a short-term campaign. The brand has been building presence across channels for at least a year or two. The objective is creating lasting impact where associations become almost subconscious. 

The positioning is being brought to life through a 360-degree approach spanning films, digital and social content, creator collaborations, and in-store experiences. 

Content created for platforms like Instagram is being adapted for OTT, outdoor, and other formats. The videos, Sharma believes, connect strongly with younger audiences while the content is scaled across different media to ensure broader reach.

With this in mind, the brand is collaborating with influencers like Anik Jain and Atulan & Divesh, asking them to share where their dreams began. A contest on Instagram invites consumers to comment about dreams that started at home, offering an IKEA gift card worth INR 10,000. The brand has also partnered with MasterChef India's latest season, highlighting the connection between home spaces and creative pursuits.

View this post on Instagram

View this post on Instagram

He notes that because this is an evolving, long-term play, it's difficult to single out one medium that will receive more weight. The focus is on creating a true 360-degree presence where each touchpoint reinforces the other. The goal is building strong, lasting impact in consumers' minds so that associations become instinctive. The brand has allocated adequate budgets across all relevant channels and is closely monitoring performance to adjust investments as needed.

When asked about tangible outcomes that would validate the positioning shift, Sharma offers a straightforward metric. 

"A few years from now, if we can look back and see that we've connected with hundreds of millions more people across the country—and that more of them are engaging with us on how we solve problems, help them think differently, and enable them to fulfil their dreams—that would signal success. That's what we're working towards."

Five years after opening in Hyderabad, IKEA is exploring different formats, including smaller city stores and shops, to penetrate markets and get closer to consumers. These will be complemented by online presence and services. 

IKEA's shift from ‘Ghar Aa Jao’ to ‘It All Starts at Home’ recognises that in a country where homes are transforming into multifunctional spaces, and where 81% of people feel media doesn't reflect their reality, brand relevance requires emotional resonance. By positioning itself not as a furniture retailer but as a companion in the journey of dreams that begin at home, IKEA is attempting to do what that photography studio owner suggested to Juvencio Maeztu years ago: find meaning in the moments that shape everyday life.