Ikea shortlists agencies for creative pitch

The three agencies are incumbent Lowe, BBH and Leo Burnett.

This development follows a pitch briefing on 21 March, which involved another two agencies. The final selection will be announced by middle of next month.

Irene Lau, regional marketing manager of Ikano Retail Asia, said the remit is for Ikea Singapore and Ikea Malaysia, and that it is a KPI-driven retainer.

“As we value the agency as a long-term partner, should the agencies be open to a retainer driven by KPI, we would be very open to it," she told Campaign Asia-Pacific. "After all, this in turn builds accountability and an active interest in the Ikea business rather than just the traditional approach of producing creative campaigns."

In January last year, Lowe Singapore was appointed to the Ikea business as an extension of the agency's regional relationship with the brand in Malaysia, one month after the Swedish home furnishing giant named Lowe and Partners Malaysia as its regional creative agency.

Lowe Malaysia was tasked to develop common strategies and campaign work for Ikea in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Reported this week, Ikea launched a bedroom campaign featuring a live comedy event in its two Singapore stores. The initiative, ‘Excuse me, is this your bedroom?’, was developed in partnerhsip with Lowe Malaysia.