IKEA APPOINTS HOST

IKEA Australia East has appointed Sydney agency Host to handle its advertising business following a global IKEA directive to review all long-term supplier contracts. The pitch included incumbent agency BMF, which has held the IKEA account since April 2001, Love and The Campaign Palace.
IKEA Communications Manager Julie Barber said, “During the pitch process, we found a new advertising partner in Host who we believe is perfectly aligned to our current needs and desired position in the market.
“We were extremely impressed with Host’s understanding of the IKEA concept and business values and their ability to provide creative solutions to budget. We also liked the flexibility of their set-up and their humble, simple but passionate approach, and felt they were a very good culture fit for our company.
“While we have enjoyed a good and long relationship with BMF, and the agency was in our final shortlist, we are also excited about moving forwards with a fresh approach for our business plans for the next few years,” Barber said.
“We are at a very important stage in our company’s development in Australia with several new full-size stores planned in the Eastern States in the near future; and with Host we feel we have the right partner to provide outstanding creativity and cost-effective marketing support to help us achieve our goals.”
Host’s first campaign for IKEA stores, with creative via The Glue Society, will hit the market in July/August.