Imagine sitting on your favorite sofa, reaching for a lamp switch, or opening a closet door and realizing those ordinary actions feel like insurmountable hurdles.
For many, it’s the silent, constant frustration of living with a disability; for others, it’s unimaginable.
… but what if a humble coffee-table, sofa, or lamp could be the gateway to dignity, inclusion, and independence—just by rethinking the way it’s built?
That radical yet simple change lies at the heart of the story of IKEA’s groundbreaking , “ThisAbles.”
What began as a modest effort in one country transformed into a global statement:
Accessibility doesn’t need to be a luxury. It can—and should—be part of everyday design.
Photo from MONSTERS Unlimited
Hacking Everyday Furniture For Real Lives
IKEA, together with two Israeli non-profits— Milbat and Access Israel—and creative support from McCann Tel Aviv, dared to ask a simple but profound question:
What if our already popular furniture could work for people with disabilities without needing to create a separate “special needs” line?
Rather than launching entirely new products, the campaign “hacked” existing best-sellers, designing 13 add-ons to solve specific accessibility issues: From sofa-elevating legs to make standing up easier, to oversized lamp switches, improved handles for closets and drawers, zipper pulls, and more.
Photo from The One Club for Creativity
What made the initiative especially powerful was its commitment to inclusivity at every stage. IKEA and its partners didn’t guess what people needed; they worked directly with disabled individuals.
A “hackathon” at IKEA’s Tel Aviv store brought together product engineers, designers, and disabled users to co-create solutions guided by lived experience.
The heart of “ThisAbles” was twofold: digital and physical.
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Free, open-source 3D designs. Anyone, anywhere could visit the “ThisAbles” website, download the schematics for the 13 add-ons, and 3D-print them. This erased geographical and financial barriers, making accessibility a global, do-it-yourself possibility.
Photo from ArchDaily
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Accessible showroom. IKEA created the first-of-its-kind “accessible living space” inside its Tel Aviv store. There, disabled customers could try out modified furniture before committing—a rare opportunity for many to test how well “mainstream” furniture would work in real life.
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Storytelling that humanized the issues. The campaign featured real people, notably an agency employee with cerebral palsy, whose everyday struggles with ordinary furniture were laid bare.
In one scene: A man grappling to stand from a regular sofa; in another: Trying to switch on a lamp with a tiny button that defies even able-bodied dexterity.
The message: “I just want to live like everyone else.”
By making the add-ons freely accessible and encouraging community feedback and co-creation (people could suggest new add-on designs on the site), IKEA signaled that accessibility wasn’t a niche concern; it was a universal commitment.
Why This Mattered
On paper, “ThisAbles” looked like a marketing push. However, in practice, it redefined what “consumer products” could do—transforming furniture from passive commodities into tools of inclusion.
It challenged the notion that disability requires “special” products and instead embraced a universal-design philosophy:
Everyday items, made for everybody.
Especially in an industry where disabled consumers are often marginalized or ignored, “ThisAbles” stood out as a bold act of empathy, design thinking, and social responsibility. It proved that good business and good values need not be mutually exclusive.
The results?
- Sales of the 13 “hacked” iconic items grew by 33% after the campaign.
- Thousands globally participated: Over 45,000 people from 127 countries visited the “ThisAbles” website, downloading and 3D-printing the add-ons.
- The campaign’s organic reach skyrocketed: 489 million unique users were exposed to the story worldwide.
- The media buzz translated into real-world value; the PR value of the coverage was estimated at USD 4 million.
- Awards followed: “ThisAbles” earned the Grand Prix at the 2019 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in the Health & Wellness category—the highest honor in that track.
In short, what started as a targeted accessibility project in Israel became a global phenomenon with tangible benefits for users, brand, and industry recognition alike.
Kudos, IKEA, Milbat, Access Israel, and McCann Tel Aviv!
*Claps*
Clearly, what made “ThisAbles” so compelling is not just its cleverness but also its humanity. In a world where many marketers chase the next big trend, IKEA chose to slow down, listen, and care.
It asked:
Why should disability be an afterthought or a niche market? Why not build for everyone from the start?
Through open-source design, empathetic storytelling, and genuine collaboration with disabled people, IKEA gave many people something more precious than a sofa leg or a lamp switch: It gave them dignity, belonging, and independence.
The message was simple but profound: Everybody deserves a seat at the table.
In doing so, IKEA didn’t just earn a marketing win. They helped rewrite what accessible design can—and should—be.
For marketers looking to draw inspiration from this campaign, the takeaway is refreshingly clear:
Small innovations become powerful when they solve real human problems; open collaboration builds trust and impact; and designing for the underserved often unlocks audiences you never knew you were missing.
In other words, empathy isn’t just good ethics; it’s also a good strategy.
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you find this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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