Ikea channels the woes of the long-suffering husband for Malaysian store launch

From cats on the bed, a girlfriend’s night-time pregnancy cravings to a mother-in-law’s questionable taste in TV shows, it’s a hard life for the modern man, according to a new Ikea campaign.

To launch a new store in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, the Swedish furniture giant has released a series of tongue-in-cheek commercials showing a long-suffering husband and father dealing with the plagues of domesticity.

Entitled ‘Ikea. Now, there’s Choice’, the video series hinges on the idea that there are things you can’t choose in life – like your mother-in-law, your daughter’s boyfriend or your wife’s cats – but you can choose your furniture. 

The films were created by Ikea South East Asia’s agency of record BBH Singapore and shot by Argentinian film director Augusto G Zapiola, who is known for his “subtle observational humour”, the agency said in a statement.

In addition to the four films, the campaign is also being supported by print, outdoor and radio ads.

 

BBH Singapore creative director Nikhil Panjwani said: “Our actors, who didn’t speak a word of English, were getting instructions from Augusto who spoke mostly in Spanish. It was fascinating how just hand gestures and body language saved the day and nothing was lost in translation.”

Credits:

Executive Creative Director: Joakim Borgstrom

Creative Directors: Nikhil Panjwani, Joakim Borgstrom

Writers: Keng Chien Hong, Nikhil Panjwani

Art Directors: Ronald Bunaidi, Soo Yeon Bae

Planning Director: Rebecca Ash

Account Director: Chloe Fair

Account Manager: Abbas Zafar

Producer: Wendi Chong

Director: Augusto G Zapiola

Co-director: Nano Tidone 

Production House: Argentina Cine, Buenos Aires

DOP – Christos Voudouris

Music Composition – Bigotes Musica

Line Production: Two Monkeys, Bangkok

Post Production: The Quiet Lab

Editor: Lee Hwee