1. IKEA’s self-assembly sourcing strategy
Global furniture brand IKEA is well-known for its DIY products and its famously scant assembly instructions. In 2012, the company’s Australian branch turned both into a hugely successful recruiting channel, adding a subtle job advertisement—titled “Cäreer Instructions,” with directions to “assemble your future”—into the packaging of every product.
When customers discovered the advertisement inside their purchases, they shared it with friends and family, creating a viral word-of-mouth effect—and a brand new recruitment channel. All told, the campaign cost $0 in media spend and postage costs, while generating 4,285 new applications and 280 hires for IKEA’s Australian megastores.
