On June 3rd, 2024, the furniture company IKEA announced in a press release that they are planning on creating a new store. But unlike the stores that IKEA has created globally in the past, their new store will be in the metaverse. Those who are eligible can apply for a job in this virtual store paying approximately 14 Euros. This is similar to the pay rate of actual IKEA jobs.
Unlike the average interview questions, some of those for IKEA’s virtual job are extremely suitable to the store’s location:
- How do you feel about being turned into pixels?
- If you were a pixelated IKEA furniture, which one would you be and why?
- What would you do if we ran out of pixelated hot dogs in our bistro?
Although these interview questions are somewhat eccentric, IKEA has become one of the first companies to bravely embrace the metaverse as a digital workspace and marketing platform. Darren Taylor, the Culture Manager for IKEA in the UK and Ireland, announced that IKEA’s digital location is meant to “showcase how [IKEA does] careers differently, bringing our unique careers philosophy to life.” IKEA plans to open its doors to its virtual location known as “The Co-Worker” on June 24th, 2024 to show how IKEA “co-workers are able to change roles, switch departments, and grow in any direction they choose, both in the game or in the real world.”
IKEA hopes to introduce the next generation to career opportunities in an interactive way. This makes IKEA one of the first companies to explore opportunities in creating a digital workspace environment on the metaverse.
The Metaverse and Marketing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha
Although there has been speculation regarding the growth and future mainstream use of the metaverse, it has proven successful in advertising to younger generations using the metaverse. Already, other companies such as Gucci and Vans have found great success at marketing their clothing lines on the metaverse. In Gucci’s promotional events, users have rushed to purchase luxury accessories on the metaverse that have since been sold digitally for thousands of Euros and US Dollars. With high demand, some of Gucci’s virtual items on the metaverse sold for higher prices than their real counterparts. In total, Gucci made approximately 1 million US dollars by selling digital renditions of their in-demand luxury products in multiple metaverse endeavors.
An Analysis of IKEA’s Approach to Metaversal Marketing
Unlike other companies such as Gucci that have utilized the metaverse as a platform for marketing and selling virtual items, IKEA has become one of the first companies to advertise career opportunities to younger generations. This can open up the possibility for other companies to explore marketing their career pathways on the metaverse aside from marketing their products.
Although IKEA’s plan to sustain a digital workspace on the metaverse by paying virtual workers may appear far-fetched, IKEA could be successful in promoting career opportunities to younger generations.