Vinterior's punchy posters are clever, but do they stop Swedish meatball cravings?

We’ve all been there.

You think it’s all going well for once. Then, you hit the twilight zone that is the IKEA Market Hall and have a blistering row. By the time you’ve made it through that weird bit with all the aisles and the tills, you know you’re not going to be speaking over the obligatory hot dog.

And that’s why I like this campaign—and especially the NO MEATBALLS. NO INSTRUCTIONS. NO DIVORCE creative from Vinterior. It’s found a competitor's pain point and shone a light on it. Rather than pretending how wonderful our lives will be if only we buy Vinterior furniture, it’s telling us how wonderful our lives will be if we DON’T buy someone else’s.

This ad gives you real life, straight in the face. All too often, comms promises or paints a world that doesn’t really exist. This takes a truth and owns it.

It also shows just how strong IKEA’s brand and experience are – you know exactly who they’re talking about without it being named. 

I don’t think IKEA will mind too much because of course the real, real truth is: buying vintage furniture and buying IKEA furniture co-exist. 

They certainly cohabit quite happily in my house. Just like how most of us don’t have a supermarket of choice, we have a repertoire (I’m Aldi for the big shop, Co-op for the top-up, Ocado for the lazy shop, thanks for asking). The only downside of this poster is it reinforces my love for IKEA, as well as sparking my interest in a brand I’ve never heard of before.

The upshot is, that I’ll remember Vinterior when I finally get around to looking for a mid-century sideboard. I’ll go to IKEA when I want a beautifully designed, beautifully priced flatpack and all those clever, cheap things you whack in the trolley that somehow add up to £326.28. 

But mainly, I now really want some meatballs.