Opportunism: IKEA hijacks Balenciaga’s tote bag launch
Author: CIMCOM
When luxury fashion brand Balenciaga added a new oversized leather bag to its collection, IKEA’s rapid response won the homewares retailer plaudits. Commentators thought the Balenciaga blue tote looked a lot like IKEA’s blue plastic shopping bag. IKEA made press statements to say how flattered it was by the similarity and joined in with the joke with a handy 4-point shopping guide, to help customers recognise whether a big blue bag is an IKEA bag or not. The guide was produced to share across social media.
Lookalike products hit the news
Prompted by a Teen Vogue article on the design coincidence, Thuy Ong, reporter for Australia’s ABC Network, was one of those to tweet about the two brands, with side by side images of blue bags from brands at different ends of the price spectrum.
Balanciaga’s carry shopper at £1,365
The brands’ ecommerce website carries a visual of the tote bag along with its price £1,365. This is the bag that kick-started IKEA’s agile marketing onslaught.
IKEA’s shopper bag at 40p
IKEA shared a handy guide on social media to help customers spot the difference between the two brands blue bags. Instead of paying £1,365 you can pick up an IKEA FRACTA blue bag for just £0.40. Other distinguishing features are the rustling sound the bag makes and the fact it can be washed free of mud with a hose.
From utilitarian design to delusions of fashion
From luxury to laundry, the brand’s unremarkable big shopper bag ‘fits any outfit’ with capacity that makes it a great laundry bag, according to IKEA.
It’s versatile too, IKEA asks ‘how you wear yours’.
The whole opportunist initiative supports the IKEA brand. It conveys the brand’s down-to-earth, fun and friendly tone and supports its cost-conscious stance.
In Sweden, the ACNE agency, worked with IKEA’s in house Creative Shop to create a print ad and social media assets, including getting a fashion photographer to take product shots in double-quick time. IKEAs agencies in other markets have pushed a similar message on social media, including 360i Europe for the UK where the story was picked up by The Drum, Metro and Evening Standard.
So far, French fashion house Balenciaga has not commented.
In a nutshell, IKEA’s agile marketing was relevant, funny and builds the brand. Good job!