Newsletter
Ikea Canada Lampoons High-End Lifestyle Tropes
It's time to spray on the satire
When is a pretentious perfume commercial not a pretentious perfume commercial?
When it’s a spoofy spot from Ikea Canada, which tweaks tired tropes as part of a new campaign focused on low prices:
Fashion marketing gets similar treatment:
As for spirits, sure, they’ve got that, too:
It’s intriguing that Ikea, no stranger to aspirational appeals, goofs on such themes from other categories. Perhaps on some level it’s making good-natured fun of itself.
Note the kitschy tones of Swedish-accented “Jonas” delivering the line, “Actually, it’s Ikea.” He just wants to save us money. Is that so wrong?
“Affordability is a universal priority, cutting across demographics like young professionals furnishing their first apartments, growing families upgrading their homes and retirees seeking comfortable solutions on a budget,” says brand marketing head Jonelle Ricketts. “By addressing this shared need, the campaign reinforces our commitment to provide a better everyday life for many Canadians, regardless of their income or lifestyle.”
Yes, we’ve seen high-end advertising mocked countless times before. Still, this work’s nicely done. We get great production values and on-point branding—plus a style that feels satirical while adhering to Ikea’s classy-fun aesthetic.
Rethink helped develop the push, with Mark Zibert directing and Vapor RMW providing appropriately pompous soundtracks.
