An IKEA advertisement seen on a parking lot billboard in the UAE for a child’s stuffed toy is the focus of this advertisement analysis. The still-based advertisement is for a stuffed toy dolphin that claims to be made from ocean plastic. The stuffed dolphin is the sole object in the image, set within a pale blue background. The advertisement is primarily targeting adult shoppers with families, however any children shopping with their parents could also influence their parents into making a purchasing decision. The advertisement is trying to convince shoppers to purchase the stuffed dolphin as it is made with plastics captured from the ocean, implying that by purchasing this product the consumer is helping to remove plastic from the ocean and contributing positively to ocean health. Dolphins are popular sea creatures loved by people of all ages, so using a stuffed dolphin is also a strategic advertising choice.
Looking at the composition of the advertisement, the dolphin is the sole item in the image, placed in the lower center of the image at roughly a 30 degree angle to the horizontal lower edge of the billboard. This angle helps creates perspective. The background of the image is a blue room, with the dolphin located on the floor. The background is monochromatic, with an ombre effect grading from a very light blue in the lower left corner of the image to a bright darker blue in the upper right corner. The placement of the dolphin is aligned with the trend of the ombre effect and parallel to the trend of two light blue rays that intersect the dolphin’s head, accentuating the dolphin as the focal point. The colour effect invokes the feeling that the dolphin is in the ocean, and that the lighter blue area depicts shallower water closer to the viewer, with the darker blue in the upper right corner representing deeper water away from the viewer. This creates a feeling that the dolphin is coming towards the viewer. The blue colours are clean and crisp, tying into the messaging that the dolphin is in clean water because plastics have been removed from the ocean. The angle of the eye of the dolphin to the viewer also helps set a happy playful tone to the image, inviting the viewer into the dolphin’s world.
This advertisement is convincing in its simplicity. If the dolphin was removed from the image all that would remain is clear bright blue water, analogous to removing plastics from the ocean because the dolphin symbolizes ocean plastic. It is also convincing because it is relatable. The colours and proportions of the dolphin on the billboard feel life-like. This realism can help convince the consumer that by purchasing the stuffy they are saving real dolphins. For me, I find the image very pleasant and makes me envision clear clean water, however I am confused by the messaging. IKEA wants people to buy mass-produced stuffed animals, many of which will end up in landfills or back in the oceans as waste given that textile recycling is not yet readily accessible globally. Is there not something more useful for people that IKEA could make from the captured ocean plastics that would have a more lasting and positive impact on society and the environment?
IKEA is a large global company that sells low priced furniture and household goods. IKEA’s main goal is to “create a better life for the many people” through having their products available to everyone. This business goal is in tension with how IKEA wants to undertake their business. IKEA is very focused on delivering sustainable products that support a circular business model, however, how long can resources last to support the increased consumption of their products as the population grows? IKEA has received a lot of praise and support for being members and partners of several recognized organizations, including the FSC , several UN organizations, Better Cotton World Wildlife Federation (WWF) (Global Compact Network Georgia, 2022). Consumer decisions are influenced by these memberships and partnerships, as consumers increasingly want to know they are making “green” choices in their purchases. IKEA also invests heavily in renewable energy projects to support manufacturing of their products (Cosmo, Yang, 2017), which helps to reduce environmental impacts across their supply chain. Also critical to IKEA’s sustainability efforts is their approach to sustainable supply chain management across several tiers of suppliers globally (Laurin, Fantazy, 2017; Gong et. al, 2019). This helps to reduce the cumulative environmental footprint of a given product through the manufacturing cycle. IKEA’s sustainability practices have evolved over several decades and will continue to do so as the needs and values of society and the environment change. I believe that their advertising genuinely reflects their actions.
Footnotes
FSC is the Forest Stewardship Council, of which IKEA was a founding member in 1993. This international network promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests, setting international standards for responsible forest management. The FSC certifies products from accredited FSC third party members, implying that products approved by the FSC are sustainable and therefore can influence consumer purchasing decisions. (https://www.ikea.com)
UN (United Nations) organizations that IKEA is part of include the United Nations Development Program, Global Compact, International Labour Organization, UNICEF (https://www.ikea.com).
Better Cotton Initiative is an international initiative aimed to promote measurable improvements in the environmental and social impacts of cotton cultivation globally. (https://bettercotton.org)
Bibliography
Cosmo, Danielle Elizabeth, and Kun Yang. 2017. “A Further Strategic Move to Sustainability—a Case Study on IKEA.” Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability 12 (2). https://articlearchives.co/index.php/JSIS/article/view/4741/4703.
Gong, Yu, Steve Brown, Fu Jia, and Jiang Duan. 2019. “IKEA: Sustainable Cotton Initiative in China.” Asian Case Research Journal 23 (02): 491–518. https://doi.org/10.1142/s0218927519500202.
“IKEA’s Sustainable Development Standards.” 2023. Journal. March 10, 2023. https://unglobalcompact.ge/sustainability-spotlight/en/ikeas-mdgradi-ganvitarebis-standartebi/.
Laurin, Francine, and Kamel Fantazy. 2017. “Sustainable Supply Chain Management: A Case Study at IKEA.” Transnational Corporations Review 9 (4): 309–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19186444.2017.1401208.
Alyssa Ingram
I think this is a very well-done critical analysis overall, well written and a great use of sources. I like how it is both critiquing and applauding the company at the same time without much conflict. This is a very good example of greenwashing and the way it is explained is very informative without being negative. The description and analysis of the advertisement itself is spot on, but more in depth to how the audience views this ad could have added so much. For example, the point is made that the advertisement is targeted towards families, especially with children. This advertisement is to be seen on a billboard in a parking garage, presumably an IKEA lot, and the placement of the visual elements individually advertises to children and adults separately while also working together. The pun used in text at the top of the advertisement is at the eye level of an adult and the stuffed toy at the eye level of a child. I think this is a very important point as the first thing the audience would see in an advertisement is at their eye level, and IKEA has taken full advantage of bringing in the attention of both age groups being advertised to.