Ikea is Cannes’ 2011 ‘Advertiser of the Year’

Ikea is the ‘Advertiser of the Year’ at next month's Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

The Swedish retailer works with agencies around the world, but Cannes organizers noted Ikea’s film Grand Prix in 2003 for “Lamp,” from Crispin Porter +Bogusky in Miami and “Facebook Showroom” produced by Forsman & Bodenfors, Stockholm. 

Since winning its first Cannes Lion in 1991, the marketer has gone on to be awarded 50 Lions across all festival categories.

More generally, Cannes officials lauded Ikea’s willingness to encourage “creative, unconventional and humorous advertising to raise awareness of (the) brand” and Ikea’s “ability to localize its global target market and create advertising campaigns that vary significantly across territories as they take onboard and adapt to unique marketing conditions and cultural sensibilities of each country”.

Noel Wijsmans, global retail manager, vp of Ikea Group, is scheduled to accept the honors during the awarding of the Film, Film Craft, Titanium & Integrated and Creative Effectiveness Lions on June 25.