Furniture megastore IKEA has turned witty ads into a signature of its practice. This becomes evident with the company's promotional posters which usually reference some type of occurrence whether that be a cheeky social dispute or a social media phenomenon.
IKEA Singapore, for example, pushed the agenda of its ultra-convenient 'INDUSTRIELL' bench by referencing a criminal act. Tan Ke Wei was convicted and sentenced to a seven-day detention for stealing a bus stop bench under the pretenses that "the bench looked nice." Capitalizing on the absurdity of the event, IKEA cheekily responds to this with a witty ad of its available flat pack furniture options. The poster reads 'Comes flat-packed. No dismantling required' and the brand added in a social media post, urging consumers to "bring home a way more affordable bench from [its] store (not the bus stop)."
Real World-Referring Advertisements
IKEA is Known for Its Witty Ads & This Poster is No Different
Trend Themes
1. Witty Advertising - Opportunity for brands to create witty and humorous advertisements that reference real-world events or phenomena.
2. Absurdity Marketing - Opportunity to capitalize on absurd and unusual events to promote products or services in a humorous and attention-grabbing way.
3. Social Media Engagement - Opportunity to engage with consumers by referencing popular social media trends or discussions in promotional materials.
Industry Implications
1. Furniture Retail - Opportunity for furniture retailers to use witty and clever advertising strategies to attract customers and differentiate themselves from competitors.
2. Advertising and Marketing - Opportunity for advertising and marketing agencies to develop creative campaigns that leverage real-world events and absurdity to capture consumer attention.
3. Social Media Platforms - Opportunity for social media platforms to facilitate brand engagement by providing a platform for creative and witty advertisements that reference popular trends and discussions.