On November 6th, 2025, students in the course “Market Assessment and Analysis for Business and Science” led by Professor Mark Burgess swapped their classroom seats for IKEA showrooms, transforming the brand into a live marketing case study.
The experiential field visit to IKEA Elizabeth allowed Rutgers Master of Business and Science (MBS) students to analyze the brand from a marketing consultant's perspective, rather than as customers. They observed the store’s consumer experience, evaluated its marketing strategies, and identified potential pain points from a consultant’s viewpoint.
The evening began with dinner in the IKEA cafeteria, where students gathered over Swedish meatballs in the IKEA cafeteria. They were then treated to a presentation by Michael Lamberty, Local Marketing Specialist at IKEA Elizabeth and an alumnus of the Rutgers Business School.
Having once been a student in a class taught by Burgess, Lamberty provided students with an inside look at IKEA’s marketing ecosystem—from local activations to digital storytelling.
Lamberty shared how IKEA’s marketing strategy extends beyond traditional advertising, focusing instead on immersive store experiences, space optimization, and building an emotional connection. As he guided students through the store, he explained how each showroom is thoughtfully designed to spark inspiration and mirror real-life home situations, helping customers visualize the products for their own spaces.
Experiencing Marketing in Action
Throughout the visit, students were encouraged to observe through a marketer’s lens:
- How does IKEA create a frictionless customer journey?
- What makes the brand’s storytelling and product displays so effective?
- Where might the customer experience break down?
From the flow of the showroom layout to the strategic placement of impulse items, every element reflected IKEA’s unique blend of design, psychology, and business intelligence.
Lamberty also discussed IKEA’s sustainability mindset, emphasizing its efforts to make environmentally conscious living accessible and affordable. Students gained a firsthand understanding of how sustainability has become a core part of IKEA’s brand promise and marketing narrative.
Learning Through Observation and Creation
Burgess encouraged students to capture photos and videos throughout the visit, documenting key insights and examples for their upcoming final presentations, where they would present their own marketing assessments of IKEA’s strategies.
By combining classroom concepts like the four Ps of marketing, marketing mix analysis, and consumer journey mapping with real-world observation, students will propose data-informed recommendations to enhance IKEA’s customer experience and marketing approach.
A Memorable Experience with Sweet Rewards
Ikea provided students with iconic IKEA tote bags and chocolate treats as a parting gift.
More than just a field trip, this visit showcased how the MBS experiential learning model bridges academic theory with business reality—giving students a feel for what it means to analyze, strategize, and innovate as marketing professionals. The field visit exemplified the Rutgers MBS mission to turn classroom theory into a practical strategy, preparing students to think critically, act strategically, and see the world not just as consumers but as consultants.
“The biggest takeaway I’ve learned from this experience is that marketing can be subtle,” said Raymond Tomo, an MBS student pursuing a concentration in Cybersecurity. “In American marketing and Western marketing, we focus more on flash and appeal.” But seeing IKEA’s focus on neutral colors and minimalist design allows the company to advertise to visitors subtly, said Tomo.
He also noted, “Advertising is normally looking to focus on sales. And this focuses more on an experience and immersion for the customer. So being able to compare and contrast that with what I’ve learned so far in class has been really insightful.”
Many thanks to IKEA Elizabeth and Michael Lamberty for inviting us into the store and giving MBS students an experience to remember!
If you would like to read more about our trips to IKEA, check out our blog about the fall 2023 trip. You can also view Burgess’ video on the experience.