IKEA ropes in McCann for global ad account

Ingka Group, the biggest IKEA retailer, has awarded its global ad account to McCann, as the company looks to “streamline” its agency operations.
After a thorough process, the advertising agency McCann with its base in Madrid, has been procured for the global assignment. According to reports the account will be run out of McCann Spain which already has a working relationship with IKEA.
It is the first time, IKEA has given its ad account to a single agency. With this, McCann will handle Ikea retail for the Ingka Group, which consists of 379 Ikea stores across 31 markets.
Licca Li, Acting Global Marketing Manager, Ingka Group said: “As one of the most trusted brands in the world, we have the responsibility to show how we are leading from our vision and purpose; that we are siding with the many through our affordable range and actions we take as a company for people and the planet. I am excited to see how this shift gives us the opportunity to connect to more people with a stronger voice.”
The Global Marketing team of Ingka Group is in lead of this transformational change, whilst the operating team is the Marketing team of IKEA Spain. McCann Spain was chosen after the collaboration between the IKEA Global Marketing team and the Marketing team at IKEA Spain. The new approach allows to secure simplified and impactful processes that supports creative quality, with the ambition to stronger position IKEA in all markets.

Gabriel Ladaria, IKEA, Spain’s Marketing Director, shares: “We are very excited that McCann has been finally chosen as winner, with us as the operating team. It makes us proud and serves as an acknowledgment for the work that has been carried out for the IKEA brand in Spain for years now. It also comes with the responsibility to build up and strengthen the emotional connection with consumers from all Ingka Group countries in a solid and consistent way, while leaning on the strengths that have shaped how we communicate at IKEA Spain and positioned the IKEA brand as the benchmark it is today.”
The new approach and partnership starts in September 2023, and the outcome of this plans are to be visible during spring 2024.

“We are humbled and excited to be appointed as IKEA’s first global brand marketing partner,” says Daryl Lee, Global CEO, McCann Worldgroup and McCann and continues: “IKEA’s vision to create a better everyday life for the many people, based on universal truths, is perfectly aligned with our global philosophy of Truth Well Told. Our teams that collaborated around the world, brilliantly led by McCann Spain, cannot wait to launch an enduring brand platform that resonates globally and further builds IKEA’s leadership position in every market.”
In the region, IKEA retail stores are operated by Al Futtaim Group and Ghassan Ahmed Al Sulaiman Furnishing Co. Al-Futtaim group holds the franchise rights for the store in four countries: Egypt, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. In Saudi Arabia, IKEA stores are operated by Ghassan Ahmed Al Sulaiman Furnishing Co.
Fp7 McCann had also recently worked on IKEA’s latest regional campaign, ‘Bring on the Mess’. In this, IKEA was seen accepting a challenge where people make messes and let IKEA provide them with their storage solutions.