Ikea’s Iconic Blue Bag Is the Gift That Keeps on Giving in Enchanting New Ad From Ogilvy

For some diehard Ikea customers, a trip to the store is already considered a magical experience. But in times of economic uncertainty, the home furnishings retailer wants to drive home the point that it can also be an affordable one. Created in partnership with Ogilvy New York, Ikea U.S. launched “The Giving Bag,” a 60-second spot featuring a young boy and his family finding a plethora of practical, sustainably designed and reasonably priced items in an enchanted version of the retailer’s iconic Frakta bag. The running sight gag sets a playful tone, with everything from floor lamps and sectional sofas to area rugs and dining chairs improbably being pulled from the shopping bag. Even the dog gets a comfy bed as the family uses the goods to furnish a new house. The spot, directed by Ewurakua Dawson-Amoah, is the hero film for the brand’s new campaign and platform, “Affordable Design. Endless Possibilities,” and has begun running across linear and CTV, digital and social media since its launch on March 8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aOS3V2jUqw “What really excites us about working with Ikea is that the brand, on all levels of the organization, truly believes in and lives their values,” Fanny Josefsson, Ogilvy New York’s creative director, told Adweek. “Ultimately, we wanted to celebrate the spirit of Ikea, and we’re going to continue to do so with activations and other types of content over the coming months.” Big bag of tricks Earlier this year, Ikea Canada’s “The Troll” introduced the concept of kids carrying the famous blue bags as the new Santa Claus (or Mary Poppins, who was more apt to pull lamps out of bags). But where the short film explored people’s relationship with their homes, “The Giving Bag” digs deeper to address the current economic climate and consumer’s relationship with their finances when it comes to major purchases like home buying. “With inflation hitting Americans hard, affordability is top of mind for all of us,” an Ikea U.S. representative told Adweek via email. “But Ikea has always strived to be an ally for those with tighter budgets. We wanted to create a platform that aligned with our values and could inspire people, even now.” This Short Film From Ikea Shows That Everyone Deserves a Lovely Home—Even Trolls CREDITS Agency Office: Ogilvy New York Chief creative officer: Menno Kluin Creative director: Sho Matsuzaki Creative director: Fanny Josefsson Senior copywriter: Peter MacInnis Senior art director: Woo Jae Yoon Head of production, North America: George Sholley Executive producer: Jack Patrick Senior producer: Judy Anekal Executive producer, music: Michael Freeman Managing director: Joan Voltz Executive group director: Tillie Fell Account executive: Amanda Maddox Business affairs manager: Deborah Steeg Client Office: IKEA U.S. Country marketing manager: Shideh Hashemi External communications manager: Christine Whitehawk External communications specialist: Cara Cordrey U.S. interior design leader: Barry Reidy U.S. interior design leader: Jessica Ochoa U.S. interior design leader: Erik Smith