Kristin Bengtsson

This groundbreaking collaboration transformed an IKEA store in Sydney into a fully functional bed and breakfast for one night. Three lucky families spent the night in uniquely styled IKEA bedrooms listed on Airbnb, complete with themed wake-up calls, including puppies and a string quartet.

The PR impact was phenomenal. Within 24 hours, the campaign received 16,000 tweets and 73 pieces of individual coverage. It reached nearly 800 million consumers worldwide and was featured in over 250 global news outlets, including Time Magazine, USA Today, and The Huffington Post.
The campaign’s success extended beyond media coverage. Store visits increased by 22.75% during the campaign period, including the highest single-day visits for the year. Sales across bedroom ranges jumped by 17.75%. We achieved this with zero media spend and a production cost of only AUD 30,000. This innovative approach raised awareness of IKEA’s bedroom solutions and repositioned the brand in consumers’ minds, elevating it from a storage brand to a genuine accommodation destination.

As the chief marketing officer at IKEA Australia, I led a cross-organizational project to unify our brand strategy with the global brand blueprint. This initiative culminated in the creation of “The Best Day is the Everyday” theme, which resonated deeply with our target audience. We launched the campaign to over 3,000 co-workers and integrated it into TV campaigns in November 2017.

This project strengthened IKEA’s brand positioning in Australia and improved internal alignment and external communication. The success of this campaign contributed to achieving our annual visitation targets of 22 million visits per year and demonstrated the power of emotional storytelling in retail marketing.

As the head of brand marketing and communications at Temple & Webster, I created the company’s first dedicated brand marketing function. I developed and implemented a comprehensive brand strategy, including brand foundations and the “Temple & Webster. Imagine.” brand platform.

Within the first year, I delivered three campaigns that significantly boosted brand awareness and drove tangible results. These campaigns resulted in an increase of over 50% YoY in direct search traffic and 40% YoY growth in incremental new customer orders. This project showcased my ability to build a marketing function from the ground up and deliver measurable results in a highly competitive eCommerce landscape.

As the chief marketing officer at IKEA Australia, I spearheaded a comprehensive review and optimization of the IKEA FAMILY loyalty program’s operational structure. This initiative focused on enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and improving member acquisition and engagement. By transitioning CRM operations in-house, we achieved significant cost savings while maintaining high-quality customer service.

The project involved streamlining sign-up processes, integrating data systems, and training staff to promote and manage the program effectively. These improvements resulted in substantial cost savings and drove a 20% YoY increase in new membership acquisition. The success of this project demonstrated the power of operational efficiency in driving both cost reduction and program growth, ultimately contributing to increased customer loyalty and business performance.