Later this week, IKEA will introduce 10-second videos in The X Factor application promoting its kitchen and dining range to underscore how every meal is a special occasion. The campaign, which is running in Britain, was created with agency Vizeum and includes an exclusive content partnership with commercial British television network ITV. 

?In the context of this campaign, we?re using a combination of Ad Sync (to launch the campaign) and traditional mobile to help our audience identity what is special about everyday meal occasions,? said Aaron Haynes, planning manager at Vizeum. 

?The most important moment to us is when families reunite at the end of the day ? be it physically on the move, or reuniting in front of the TV,? he said. ?Mobile, by its very nature, allows us to access this moment in real time and help our audience identify that the time they?re about to share with family ? whether they know it or not already ? is a moment that is truly special.?

The second-screen campaign is the latest from IKEA around the overarching theme of Wonderful Everyday. 

Using the tagline ?Every Meal is a Special Occasion,? the latest campaign elements will appear in TV ads, radio, digital and social. 

The in-app second screen experience kicks off on Oct. 25. It includes exclusive content featuring different people sharing what makes an everyday meal a special occasion. 

Ad Sync technology is used to deliver the 10-second videos at the time when families are reunited ahead of evening meals.

Ad Sync is a mobile ad format from ITV that enables broadcast advertisers to take over The X Factor program app at the same time their spot appears on TV.

The IKEA TV spots will run from Oct. 27 to 31. 

The campaign runs through Dec. 20. 

?The partnership with ITV provides a platform for generating topical conversation around what makes every day meal occasions special,? Mr. Haynes said. ?It features five 10 second idents, where a range of personalities ignite this topic by sharing what makes their everyday meal occasions special.

?Ad Sync allows us to connect our broad and inspiring brand communication with a more personal exploration of those everyday meal occasions, specifically questioning what makes them special,? he said. 

?The benefit to Ad Sync, is that it allows us to seamlessly access this popular and scalable second screen moment without labouring anything on the consumer.?

The IKEA campaign reflects how savvy mobile marketers recognize the important role that smartphones play for consumers throughout their day, leading them to search for those key moments when they can break through and make a connection. 

The challenge that IKEA and other marketers face with crafting second-screen experiences that connect with mobile users during a moment in their day is how to shape or redirect the conversation in a natural way that does not feel too intrusive. 

?We?ve all seen the numbers that mobile is omnipresent in our lives and it makes sense you should be able to talk about any subject if it?s right for your audience ? whether that be special occasions or joy in the everyday,? said Amy Gale, associate planning director at Isobar US.  

?From past learning, I?d caution that brands should still apply the rigor to planning and insights for their campaigns on mobile that they would on TV,? she said. 

?It?s critical to gauge how, when and why audiences engage with topics and content on their mobile if you?re to deliver relevant and meaningful content.?

The IKEA campaign is a good example of how second screen experiences are evolving and getting more sophisticated as marketers? understanding of how best to reach TV viewers on a smartphone or tablet improves and as advances are made in the supporting technology, such as microphones and social commerce.  

?Second-screen programs still have a long way to go, but they are getting there,? said Matt Holliday, director of digital integration at BFG Communications.  ?There have always been some great ideas that were dependent on technology that didn't quite get off the ground ? we may start to finally see those pop up as better phones and tablets hit the market. 

?Better microphones mean we can include audio cues to trigger content,? he said. ?Easier paths to the sale on platforms like Twitter and Amazon can make it even easier to offer the products and services people are seeing on their favorite shows, and better cameras are making it easier to bring your world into the world you see on your TV. 

?As the hardware evolves, so do the executions.?