Ikea shows the diversity of families during the holidays, no matter how they celebrate
Ikea products appeal to people across the globe, and the diversity of its customers and the varied ways they celebrate the season are on display for its latest holiday spot.
Ikea's 'Maybes' ad shows diversity during the holidays
The spot, ‘Maybes,’ takes an inclusive approach to the holidays, exploring different holiday traditions and familial bonds. It also showcase Ikea products, but in an integrated style that flows with the action.
The ad, by Ogilvy, finds families of all types in celebration over meals and in homes. The voice-over states, “Maybe you’re making merry…maybe you’re with the family you’ve got, or maybe the one you’ve chosen…our holidays don’t all look the same, and maybe that’s what makes us great. Make the dream yours.”
Said external communications manager, Ikea US, Christine Whitehawk: “For this holiday spot, we wanted to find a way to show the many ways that Ikea can enable you to have a great holiday and celebrate it the way you want. Showing the different ways of celebrating also revealed that in the end, we are all united by our love of family, friends and home. Ikea knows the importance of life at home and that the holidays look and feel different for everyone, so we wanted to inspire people to take some of the pressure off having the ‘perfect’ celebration. Rather, it means the most to celebrate in a way that reflects who you are and what is important to you.”
Added Della Mathew, Ogilvy group creative director: “What excited us about writing this holiday ad was that we were able to tell a story that is uplifting and uniting during a year that has been so divisive and negative. We wanted to remind people that really we all have our love for each other and our families to bring us together as a nation. We may have different ways of celebrating, but the heart of it is the same. Our goal was to tell this in a very real and empathetic way that was a natural fit for Ikea's values and their role in helping every home be the heart of everyone's best holiday memories.”
The creative and production teams gathered to experience what the families featured in the ad were going through, to help everyone come together on the project.
"I loved the process of making this commercial. There were so many magical moments. We all sat down the day before the shoot and had dinner together,” said director, Mark Albiston of production company Sweetshop. “We all shared food stories and laughs… it was the best rehearsal you can have for a spot like this where families come together. A beautiful part of the audition process was hearing the father of the Weather’s family get up and sing a song that he and his family sing together every Christmas – it made it into the commercial. The creative team were really open to experimentation and rolling on improvisation and it was the secret to the feeling of the film.”
Vote for the ad by clicking on the Creative Works box below.
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IKEA is a Swedish-founded Dutch-based multinational group, that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture, kitchen appliances and home accessories. It has been...
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