Clever Creative: This One’s in the Bag

They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but what they don’t mention is that it can make for one awkward situation. In today’s “Clever Creative,” Ikea takes this issue head on with some humor. Late last week the French fashion house Balenciaga unveiled its newest bag, which resembled a crinkly, multifunctional bag we all know and love from Ikea: the blue 99 cent reusable bag (which saves us all from losing those small piece that could be detrimental to your FJELLSE bed frame build). When the company spotted the uncanny resemblance, they gathered their creative forces and had this one in the bag with their amazing response. Check out the side-by-side comparison of the bags, along with the ad Ikea’s in-house team created in under a few hours:

Why our GEMites liked this Clever Creative:

Besides the obvious comicalness of a well-known fashion designer basically creating a $2,145 version of the 99 cent Ikea bag, we love the way the company handled it. Companies should be on top of situations like this and get ahead of them, and that’s exactly what Ikea did. They had a quick turn around with the creative, which in itself is impressive, but so was what they came up with. Which brings us to the next part that we love, the hilarious ad itself.

Their photographer's ability to shoot the Ikea bag in the same way its $2,000 counterpart was shot helps the consumer see the parallels between the designs and adds to the hilarity of it all. It makes you stop and think, “Does this designer really just love Ikea?” And, if you’re like us, you may also be wondering if people will be flocking to the Swedish furniture store to get the much cheaper, and more useful, original. We also love the copy of the ad, which plays on the “how to tell if it’s a real designer bag” motif by giving actual instructions (something they’re well-known for). It all came together quickly, and brilliantly, and we love it because of that.

Why our fellow creatives should like this:

Ikea’s most recent ad was inspired by events that occurred less than 24 hours before. Their real-time reaction to a still-relevant news story, the release of the Balenciaga bag, is the reason why creatives should like it. They made the connection that the French designer’s bag was eerily similar to their FRAKTA bag and had to make a decision as to whether or not they wanted to take advantage of the moment. Lucky for us, they did. When the chance to promote your product (even if it’s just a 99 cent bag) arises, advertisers should take it, because if it’s done well, it can garner tons of free buzz. This ad made Ikea relevant in a conversation it wouldn’t have found itself in normally, which in itself is commendable. On top of that, they got to advertise a product that usually wouldn’t be worth putting any ad spend behind.

We think our fellow creatives should take note on how to properly take on these types of situations, because Ikea definitely has this one in the bag.

Let us know what you think, and be on the lookout for next week’s installment of Clever Creative!

If you’re looking for some clever creative of your own, feel free to contact us.

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