Ikea drops humour to back bedroom range

Created by Leo Burnett, the Hong Kong TV spot attempts to dramatise the sibling rivalry between two young boys, and at the same time communicate the storage benefits of Ikea’s bedroom range.

The creative concept is built around the tendency of older children to become resentful and jealous of the attention afforded to younger siblings.

Ikea is the market leader in Hong Kong’s furniture market, with three stores in the territory. However, it faces a slew of competitors, from general high-end brand Ulferts, to the low-price chain Pricerite. Other rivals include G.O.D and Franc Franc. Most of these are small-scale shops which capture their own niche market segments, so it is difficult to say who is Ikea’s direct competitor, said Leo Burnett group CD Victor Manggunio. The others do not have the same brand recognition and presence worldwide.

The TV spot depicts a sulking older child who hides his brother’s toys in the bedroom’s various cupboards. The spot is a departure from Ikea’s typically humour-based approach.

This new campaign projects a more heartwarming feeling and shows the human side of the Ikea brand, said Manggunio.It is a sweet storyline based on real human sentiment. We want the TV spot to link to the products that Ikea offers.

Media partner MindShare placed the TV spot on TVB Jade, supported by in-store display in Hong Kong.