Ikea Case Study

Question 2

Given that nowadays everything can be found on the internet, IKEA stands out by advertising a product range counting up to 12,000 with the simplest of channels: a catalogue. These facilitate the promotion and sale of a large amount of products through a single channel of advertising.

An estimated 160 million free copies (in 2010) have been distributed worldwide and all of those have been adapted to suit different nationalities and therefore lifestyles.

By taking two examples, one aimed at Denmark and the other at China, advertising the same products there are some differences that can be highlighted. By acknowledging the cultural differences in both countries, certain aspects of the advertisement relate to its own country's demographics and target market.

For example, while in the advertisement aimed at Denmark, the consumer is presented with an image of a brother a sister playing in a colorfully decorated house, the advertisement aimed at China presents only one child in an organized and mostly monochromatic room.

These differences were influenced by each country's lifestyle, demographics, habits and needs. Specifically, the notion of family depicted in Denmark's catalogue is not present in China's catalogue due to the fact that most Chinese couples have only one child due to the one-child policy introduced in 1979 by Chinese leader Den Xiaoping (Connett, 2015).

Regarding the effectiveness of the catalogue as a marketing tool, it is clear the advantages of targeting different areas, given that it reduces waste by targeting it to families with children or even consumers that are moving to a new home.