Designing Brand Communications with Mood.
One of the challenges for all retailers is to create a sense of ‘mood affinity’. A brands’ ability to connect themselves with a strong sense of ‘mood’ in the hearts of customers is a precursor to their ability to stir those same associated emotions in connection to their own brand. This piece of IKEA brand story telling attempts and I think delivers on this very challenge (check the clip after the jump).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCB7RqGS684&feature=player_embedded
Here’s the finished ad. I’ve gotta say I don’t get the cat thing – but they still capture the mood beautifully:
For a look behind the experiment of IKEA release of 100 cats into its Wembley store in the UK – check them on Facebook http://facebook.com/ikeacats
To celebrate the integrated campaign IKEA also released a feline friendly Cat-alogue, which can be seen at http://ikeacat-alogue.co.uk/
Dave Ansett, Brandamentalist
Brand Designer and More of a Dog Kind-a-guy
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Having grown up with cats, I completely ‘get’ the ad – it’s a refreshing change from the norm. Well done IKEA.
I must admit I’m with you Dave, I really don’t get the cats. That being said it’s a very clever piece of brand storytelling. Perhaps next time they could use puppies to help convey the brand mood.
The choice of cats was slightly confusing at first – then mood created in the end was beautiful. I would have liked to see it done with children instead – someone a consumer can relate to a little better.
Like the idea, don’t like the cats
maybe a range of pets would have accomplished the same idea but given it a less creepy feel
I had no idea there’d be such a polarized view on cats. The impact on the brand communication is still a refreshing one as Chris points-out. Whilst i find the ‘making-of’ a bit creepy, for me the final ad transcends the whole cat/dog thing, and stands out from the more obvious dog solution.
Thanks for the post Dave. The cats are quite elegant, but it is a long brand association bow.
Hi Kim, the association between cats and IKEA may seem like a stretch on the surface, but the most powerful brand association here is actually between the sense of ‘home’ the cats create and the IKEA brand – an that is right on the money.