IKEA International, Wardrobe (TV)

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2005 Television 73% Report A Problem

In this series that mocks designers, "Van den Puup, Elite Designer" questions his assistant about the price of a wardrobe made by Ikea.

With heavy pretension in an indistinct accent, he asks, "Two thousand pounds?"

"Eighteen hundred pounds?"

The assistant, holding an Ikea price tag, shakes his head.

"Fifteen hundred pounds?"

"A thousand pounds," he asks, growing more exasperated.

Losing his temper, he screams, "Five hundred pounds?"

"Four hundred pounds?!"

Glancing at the tag, marked £179 pounds, the assistant grimaces and shakes his head again.

Although the ad never deals directly in sexuality, at first it may seem to be a classic gay designer stereotype. What takes this ad, and campaign, to the next step is that the humor is not derived primarily on the man as a sissy, but more on his pretension, and occasional outbursts. In some cases, he appears slightly macho (although his silent assistant never does).