By Vivian Kelly
When it comes to IKEA we think of home, comfort and inspiration. What IKEA had in store for their visitors though, was far from what they were expecting during their shopping trip.
The retailer’s Norwegian flagship store, Slependen, used one of its room displays to create a replica of a real Syrian home challenging people's perceptions of poverty.
The installation called, ’25 m2 of Syria’ walks you through plightful living conditions and limited space shared between 10 people in only 25 meters of living space. The home is a replica of Rana’s house in Damascus where she raises four young children, ages 4-6, in a puny two-bedroom house.
Courtesy of Unlimited Awesome Random Video, IKEA
'When we had to flee to this area to find safety, we did not have enough money to rent a better place. We have no money to buy mattresses and blankets, or clothes for the children,' Rana told the Red Cross team.
IKEA’s familiar price tags were found throughout the installation, but rather than listing a sale price, they shared real life stories of Syrians and the conditions they're forced to live in. Displayed on the price tag was a donation link where visitors were able to donate.
Courtesy of Unlimited Awesome Random Video, IKEA
The home display featured concrete blocks, and little furnishings and appliances, giving customers a small glimpse of what life is really like in a war-zone.
The powerful awareness campaign, which reached 40,000 people per week, captured the heart’s of visitors and is estimated to have raised around 22 million euros.
