Roche Macaulay & Partners has parlayed its success on the Ikea Canada business to an international level, with the launch of a new television campaign for Ikea Germany.
The German campaign went to air earlier this month, concurrent with the release of the new Ikea catalogue.
The campaign consists of about 14 spots, all 30 seconds, each supporting specific product ranges.
‘Without question, this was the largest single television campaign we’ve ever produced,’ says Andy Macaulay, senior vice-president of the Toronto agency. ‘Virtually everyone in the placewas involved at one time or another because it was such a large project.’
The work for Ikea Germany began last spring when former Ikea Canada executive Ola Lindell approached the Toronto agency.
As director of marketing for Ikea Canada, Lindell had worked with Roche Macaulay for about three years. He was promoted to director of marketing for Ikea Germany two years ago.
Lindell felt the time was right to move into tv but because it isn’t as prevalent an advertising medium in Germany as it is in North America, he needed proven and experienced assistance.
Macaulay says applying the agency’s understanding of Ikea Canada business to the German market worked because Ikea has succeeded in transplanting its concept across cultures and continents.
Roche Macaulay developed all concepts in Toronto. Ikea Germany’s agency Grabarz & Partners helped with the language issue and production was split between Germany and Toronto.
Macaulay says the industry loves to hear about advertising from Canadian agencies moving beyond our borders but transnational success – he cites Leo Burnett’s work for Fruit of the Loom and BBDO’s campaign for Red Dog beer – is usually by multinational agencies.
‘In our case, we’re especially proud of it because that’s not, in fact, the case. (Roche picked up the Ikea Germany project before merging with the Lowe Group in June.) It’s proof that advertising can absolutely cross cultures every bit as much as retail concepts can.’
