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.

“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.” 

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