Ikea builds employer brand in Roblox to attract new generation of workers
Ikea is utilising a novel approach to attracting a new generation of workers: it has created a virtual store in the popular video game Roblox.
The Swedish furniture company is launching a campaign this week entitled ‘Careers Done Different’ and in its first phase is inviting Roblox players to apply virtually for paid positions at its in-game store.
The idea is to introduce younger people to the possibilities that a career at Ikea can open up to them in a fun and engaging manner.
Roblox, for those who don’t know, is a popular online video game where players create games within the game for others to enjoy. It has become increasingly popular with brands in recent years as a way to attract a younger audience either through advertising or in-game attractions, like this one called ‘The Co-Worker’.
While Roblox is predominantly known as something for younger gamers (Statista reports that 42% of its players were under 12 in 2023) it does have a young adult following too. Statista shows 42% of Roblox users are aged 17 to 24 and 25+ leaving a healthy chunk of its audience to target in this campaign.
The campaign will be fully integrated across social media (from Instagram and TikTok to LinkedIn) as well as with in-store activities such as ‘pixellated furniture’ to encourage people to apply for the in-game roles.
Ikea UK’s marketing communications manager, Kemi Anthony, says: “To bring career progression at Ikea to life, it made sense to demonstrate the co-worker journey in a less traditional way, by ‘recruiting’ people to try it out for themselves at Ikea on Roblox.”
“Once Ikea on Roblox opens, they (and we) will be able to appreciate the employee experience in ways that we’ve never been able to do with traditional recruitment marketing.”
MarketingWeek
