IKEA, advertiser of the year at Eurobest 2010

Cristina Blanaru Creativity, Marketing

This year’s recipient of the Advertiser of the Year Award at Eurobest 2010 will be the Swedish home furnishing retail company IKEA.

The award is presented to advertisers, born out of Europe, who have distinguished themselves for inspiring innovative marketing of their products and who embrace and encourage the creative work produced by their agencies

Working with a number of different agencies, IKEA have encouraged creative, unconventional and interesting advertising to raise awareness of their brand and drive people to enter their stores. The IKEA marketing strategy is based around their business idea of offering a wide range of well designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible can afford them; and their advertising campaigns also take onboard unique marketing conditions and cultural sensibilities of each country, which varies significantly across markets.

After winning their first Eurobest accolade at the inaugural awards in 1988, over the years, IKEA advertising has won 31 Eurobest trophies across all categories. They have also won numerous global awards including the Cannes Lions Film Grand Prix for ‘Lamp’ in 2003.

“IKEA wholeheartedly supports the creative output of their agencies, the outcome of which has been some outstanding and varying pieces of communication, while always remaining true to its brand values. We are proud to present them with the Advertiser of the Year accolade at Eurobest this year, an honour well deserved,” said Philip Thomas, Festival CEO.
IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer, which specialises in stylish but inexpensive Scandinavian designed furniture, was founded in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden. IKEA is named as an acronym comprising the initials of the founder’s name, the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd), and his home parish (Agunnaryd, in Småland, South Sweden).

The Eurobest Advertiser of the Year Award, which was introduced last year, was presented to Guinness in 2009.