IKEA: (He)art Scanner

Every two years Ikea launches a limited art collection. Furniture, designed by contemporary artists, will be sold to art lovers at affordable prices. In 2019 eight rugs from among others Virgil Abloh, Craig Green and Filip Pagowski belonged to the new Art Collection.

Unfortunately such promotions attract many people who buy the carpets alone with the aim of auctioning them as expensive as possible on eBay. Understandably this is only conditionally in the sense of a brand. Although the products are in high demand, the purchase and product are reduced to purely monetary interests and undermine the very concept of offering products at affordable prices.

Ikea Belgium wanted to counteract this with the Art Event 2019 and developed together with the Ogilvy Social.Lab Brussels a so-called "Heart Scanner". An algorithm should use an EEG to detect if a human actually loved one of the carpets. Beta and gamma brain waves, electrical body reactions, and the heartbeat were measured as people looked at the carpets. Only when the measurement data showed a sufficient emotional response, the carpet could be bought.

A promotional campaign that offered a special shopping experience and emotionalized the products. And probably increased the value even further.

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