Sources: IKEA - "Magic Man"; IKEA - "Maybes"
Tis the season to assemble flat-pack furniture. At least that’s what IKEA, the international retail furniture giant, is hoping for this holiday season in the dozens of countries where it operates across the globe. How IKEA goes about driving traffic to its stores and online during the season is not the same in every market, so we’ve curated a short list of commercials for your review.
In its “Maybes” spot for the U.S., IKEA looks at the different ways Americans celebrate the season. The spot, which has generated more than 83,000 YouTube views, concludes that the diversity of the nation, as evidenced by our holiday traditions, is “what makes us great.”
IKEA Canada’s “Magic Man” spot concentrates on the expressions of love and giving through the story of a young magician and his family. The spot, which has been viewed more than 392,000 times on YouTube, does not include a voice-over, but instead uses a soundtrack of Verna Felton singing “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” from Disney’s 1950 release of “Cinderella.”
In its home market of Sweden, IKEA also uses a kid magician as the creative focus of its holiday season spot. While “The Little Magician” commercial doesn’t include a Christmas tree or any other overt nod to the season other than a family gathering around a table, it does remind viewers that they can “find furnishing that lasts through the holiday season” online. (You’ll understand when you view the spot.)