Discover the Swedish Hidden Gems Behind the Weird IKEA Product Names

Everyday people recline into the Ektorp couch, have ‘fika’ by the Ingatorp table and light a Hemsjö block candle to spread some cosiness and cheer on a dark autumn evening. These at times funny-sounding Swedish names of well-known products did not come out of nowhere. There is an entire world behind them, or rather an entire country – Sweden. 

With the campaign ‘Discover the Originals’ Sweden wants to ignite interest in the destinations behind the products, and, with a touch of humour, show 'the originals,' the places behind some of Ikea's better-known product names.* 

“In Sweden, we are proud of IKEA and in a way you can say that they helped us make Swedish places world-famous through the names they borrowed for their products. Now we want, with warmth and a twinkle in our eye, to show the originals behind the product names and invite the world to discover the whole of Sweden”, says Nils Persson, chief marketing officer, Visit Sweden.   

With its varied and spectacular natural environment, generous right to roam, rich culture and long history, Sweden offers a smorgasbord of destinations and memorable experiences. The campaign presents 21 places to visit, everything from Viking monuments to picturesque towns, castles and silver mines, with activities from white-water rafting, to dog sledding, fly-fishing and ice swimming. 

One such place is lake Bolmen, located in a scenic corner of the province of Småland, not far from Agunnaryd where IKEA’s founder, Ingvar Kamprad, grew up. Here visitors have ample opportunity to enjoy the gorgeous natural surroundings canoe, hike and bike on trails, or pick mushrooms and berries. As a part of this campaign Bolmen is launching a new slogan: ”Bolmen – more than an IKEA toilet brush”. 

“We do appreciate that IKEA has named a product for our beautiful lake and that Visit Sweden is bringing global attention to this. But now we would like to show the world that Bolmen is so much more than an item with which you clean your toilet. It is an incredibly beautiful place, much loved by us locals. We would like to invite the whole world to spend time in our wonderful, unspoiled natural environment, showing the same care we do and enjoying the crystal-clear water,” Says Magnus Gunnarsson, chair of Smålands Sjörike and municipal council member in Ljungby. 

Other examples of places highlighted by this campaign include Järvfjället in Lapland, which offers grand outdoor experiences including hiking and cross-country skiing on trails alongside Lapland's unique fauna. The picturesque fishing village Skärhamn, on the island of Tjörn, is where one can enjoy freshly-caught seafood and experience international art at Nordiska Akvarellmuseet. The coastal town of Kallax in Norrbotten,  where you can cruise between thousands of small islands during summer nights lit by the midnight sun, as well as partake in one of Sweden's more "aromatic" culinary traditions during the town's annual fermented herring parties. And lake Toftan in Dalarna, where art lovers can paddle a canoe the length of the lake before visiting the house on the lakeside in nearby Sundborn, once owned by artists Karin and Carl Larsson, known and loved for their impact on Swedish interior design.