IKEA is inviting people to “Activate Home Mode” this holiday season through a campaign built under the claim ‘this Christmas, the best gift is to be present.’ Centered on the idea of slowing down, reconnecting, and devoting attention to those who matter most, the initiative celebrates the home as the heart of meaningful relationships. By emphasizing togetherness and presence, IKEA underscores the importance of cherishing time with loved ones, especially during the festive period, when gatherings often reveal how much we all crave genuine connection and simplicity.
The short film, developed by McCann Madrid and directed by Alauda Ruiz de Azúa, fresh from her Golden Shell win at the San Sebastián International Film Festival, infuses the campaign with warmth and cinematic intimacy. Moving beyond the brand’s signature world of flat packs and living rooms, the narrative focuses on heartfelt emotion rather than polished retail aesthetics.
Launched in a time when many feel disconnected despite being together, the campaign taps into growing concerns about distraction and digital overload. With studies revealing that people spend nearly half their waking hours lost in thought, IKEA reframes presence as something that doesn’t rely on WiFi, but on genuine human connection.
“We’re back with a Christmas campaign to spark conversation and put on the table issues that matter and reflect the reality of Spanish households,” said Rafael Jiménez, marketing communications director at Ikea Spain. “Our goal is for it to connect with everyone: families, friends, couples, colleagues … anyone who has ever felt they are there, but not fully.”
The campaign officially rolls out on Monday, 10 November, continuing IKEA’s tradition of holiday storytelling rooted in genuine human connection. For more than a decade, the brand has used Christmas as a moment to champion emotional presence and meaningful time together. In 2014’s The Other Letter, children were asked to write one letter to the Three Kings and another to their parents, revealing that what they wanted most wasn’t gifts, but time. Then in 2018’s Familiarizados, IKEA spotlighted how screens can isolate us even when we’re sharing the same space.
This year’s film follows that lineage, set to air across TV, social platforms, outdoor media, and more, ensuring the message reaches families wherever they are this season.
