Furniture and home-goods megastore IKEA doesn’t offer in-store intervention for relationship problems, but maybe it should. There’s something about the store and its perfect, untouched fake rooms that brings issues with ourselves, our relationships, and with our homes to the surface. That’s why a comedian who likes to create fake and almost plausible signs created a “relationship saving station” to put in a real IKEA store.
Some of the activities at the station would probably not be that helpful, and others would. Maybe it depends on your relationship dynamic. The tiny horse and Elsa stations seem the most useful to us.
The tiny horse station invites you to take your frustrations out on a figurine.
“Yell at this tiny horse instead of each other,” it says. “Go ahead, get it all out.”
The Elsa station features a photo of the character Elsa from Disney’s Frozen taped to a jar. “Write down why you’re upset and give it to Elsa so she can help you LET IT GO,” the station’s sign says.
One visible slip of paper which is probably planted, though we can’t be sure, says, “This place is a maze. I can’t escape.” Centuries from now, cartoon heroes will be people trapped in mazelike retail operations who fight their way out.
Other ideas to keep couples sane and stop them from arguing include hats shaped like milk cartons, encouraging them to blow bubbles, and a picture of an adorable puppy that even a shelving-crazed person with a cold heart couldn’t resist.
A real puppy would work much better, but isn’t cost-effective.
You can see more IKEA pranks and other signs planted in the real world at Obvious Plant.
(via Time)
by Laura Northrup via Consumerist