Sarah Horne, a children’s book illustrator in London, got IKEA’s attention when she shared her doodles superimposed over the company’s furniture catalogue in her portfolio.
But instead of sending her cease and desist letters, IKEA hired her as their first-ever children’s illustrator in residence.
It’s a cool story, so plenty of publications shared it. But more than that, it shows IKEA was open to finding new talkers and giving them bigger influence — not squashing them.
When you see people playing with your brand’s identity, resist the fear and the urge to make them stop. They just might be fans you can turn into advocates (or new employees).
