Ikea handbags pretentious Balenciaga blue tote bag ‘flirt’ with hit and run social media campaign
Ikea has issued a tongue firmly-in-cheek response to luxury fashion house Balenciaga’s cheeky riff on its iconic blue tote bag, by issuing a step-by-step guide to help consumers differentiate between the two holdalls.
Last week Balenciaga raised eyebrows with the launch of an oversized blue bag which bore more than a passing resemblance to the Swedish furniture chain’s own carriers – although one area where this notable similarity didn’t extend was price with an Ikea bag setting you back a mere 40p while its Italian counterpart retails for £1,705.
In an effort to help its customers identify an authentic Ikea Frakta bag the self-assembly specialists have put together a four-point guide to weed out the doppelganger; including shaking it to see if it rustles, hosing it down with a garden hose to clean and attempting to ferry bricks and even water within its deep blue interior.
Should the unidentified blue carrier pass all these tests with flying colours then you can rest assured that you own an Ikea original, oh and a quick glance at the price tag will offer up a pretty big clue as well.
Created by Swedish agency ACNE the response is being pushed on Ikea’s social channels after fashion photographer Anders Kyllberg was enlisted to shoot the unassuming carrier in similar studio surroundings to the Balenciaga.
What's your style, tote large or tote medium? Show us how you wear yours ♀️ #totesIKEA #IKEAbag #FRAKTA https://t.co/ERVk6WCHY1 pic.twitter.com/kI6xOWqHh7
— IKEA UK (@IKEAUK) April 20, 2017
Similar executions from IKEA’s local agencies appeared on social metworks after the initial response, with 360i Europe responsible for the UK phase of the campaign (see above).
Creative director Johan Holgrem commented: “I wanted to act fast, so we contacted our client the day after and I said, 'We'll have creative work ready within two hours.” Asked his views on the Italian copy Holgrem said it was “unexpected and brilliant," adding: "I like the flirt, and I thought, 'Why not flirt back?' And we did.”