Ikea: Ikea's Penang Hokkien campaign by BBH Singapore

To celebrate for the opening of its first store in Penang, Malaysia, Ikea is using the Hokkien dialect to to celebrate the local heritage in its campaign.

While the four major languages widely spoken in Penang are Malay, English, Chinese and Tamil, the second smallest Malaysian state is best known for its distinct Hokkien dialect, known as Penang Hokkien.

The campaign, created by BBH Singapore, uses the phonetic similarity of some popular Penang Hokkien words to rhyme with the Swedish company name.

It shows parallel images like a chicken and a cabinet with the words “We are not Kay Kia. We are IKEA.” Kay Kia is the Hokkien word for chick. Another execution features a tall guy and the Billy bookcase with the lines “We are not Lo Kha Kia (a tall guy). We are IKEA.”