Digital & Social · Global · 2014
IKEA: Experience the Power of a BookBook
IKEA launched its printed catalogue as if it were a tech product.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readBBH Asia-PacificContent & Social · Campaigns
- Brand
- IKEA
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 2014
- Category
- Digital & Social
- Agency or team
- BBH Asia-Pacific
- Channels
- Online film
The context
Printed catalogues looked old-fashioned next to new gadgets.
The printed catalogue seemed outdated.
The move
BBH Asia-Pacific parodied tech launch films, presenting the IKEA catalogue as a revolutionary “bookbook” with “no cables” and an “eternal battery life”.
How it was executed
- Parodied tech launch films.
- Called the catalogue a ‘bookbook’.
- Leaned fully into the joke.
IKEA launched its printed catalogue as if it were a tech product.
What happened Reported facts
The film was viewed millions of times and showed how a brand can make an old format feel modern through wit.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Parody made an old format feel new.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Borrow the language of the category you’re competing with.
- 02Humour can rescue a traditional channel.
- 03Make the product the punchline, kindly.
Indian brands can borrow formats from other categories.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: IKEA Singapore; BBH (2014). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with IKEA.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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