IKEA’s latest digital campaign builds on the idea that banner ads suck and you probably clicked it accidentally.

The campaign by Swedish agency Åkestam Holst takes an honest look at banner advertising. “Who doesn’t click these things 24/7 by mistake? No one. If you’re inspired by people’s everyday lives, you need to acknowledge that, even in banners,” Åkestam Holst creative director Magnus Jakobsson said.

IKEA cites research suggesting that over 60 per cent of clicks are accidental, and down to “fat thumb syndrome.” B&T reported on the 2015 study in January last year, the research from location-based mobile and digital company Retale found that a majority of mobile users are accidentally clicking on mobile banner ads because of the small screen size, fat-thumbs or finger slippage.

According to the study, respondents said they were either annoyed (68 per cent), frustrated (45 per cent) or angry (22 per cent) after accidentally clicking on a mobile banner ad; only 6 per cent said they would feel calm, satisfied (5 per cent) or excited (3 per cent).

The IKEA Perceptive banners greet you with messages like “Really, are you sure?” and “Oh, did you tap by mistake. That Happens?” rather than taking you somewhere you didn’t really want to go.

Check out the case study below:

 

“When your business idea is to make people’s everyday lives a little better, you wouldn’t like to annoy them unknowingly. But mobile banner ads do! With these perceptive banners, Ikea found a way to acknowledge that” adds copywriter Mark Ardelius.