IKEA has long empowered people to build their own homes — from MALM to BILLY — one Allen key turn at a time. Even the most iconic IKEA experience comes with that moment: you, the floor, a thousand pieces, and instructions that almost make sense. We leaned into that universal feeling—because sometimes, the real challenge isn’t the furniture… it’s the manual.

This project was developed as a speculative concept for IKEA. It is not an official campaign, but rather an exploration of brand voice, humour, and experiential storytelling.

IKEA’s instruction manuals are iconic — clean, clever, and famously foolproof. They’re the reason anyone with an Allen key and mild determination can build a wardrobe. But what happens when we take that symbol of simplicity and throw it into chaos? For April Fools, we set out to sabotage the one thing everyone trusts. The goal? Turn an easy Sunday project into an emotional rollercoaster. Confused? Good.

That’s the point.

This April Fools, we’re assembling confusion.

Introducing The Manual Manual — a perfectly disassembled set of IKEA instructions designed to frustrate, confuse, and amuse. Pages are out of order. Diagrams are cryptic. And the iconic stickman? Spiraling into full-blown panic. We turned the manual into the actual challenge — because why should building the product be the only headache? It’s not a product. It’s not even remotely helpful. It’s an experience. A joyful mess. A tribute to every meltdown, every misplaced screw, every moment you questioned your life choices while building a bookshelf. Assembling confusion, one lost Allen key at a time.