„Das unmögliche Möbelhaus aus Schweden“

Abstract

“Das unmögliche Möbelhaus aus Schweden”: With this Slogan IKEA promoted at the beginning of its track record in Germany. Meanwhile, the name IKEA is well-known in the whole world and nearly everyone can say something about it. IKEA was founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden. It is an acronym formed from the initials of the founder's name (Ingvar Kamprad), the farm (Elm-taryd) and the village where he grew up (Agunnaryd, in Småland).

Today, IKEA is one of the largest, most successful privately held companies in the world, and Ingvar Kamprad is one of the world's richest men. The company distributes its products through its retail stores. IKEA now has 296 stores in 36 countries, and Germany, with 44 stores, is the biggest market, followed by the USA, with 36. The Swedish company belongs to the brands with the best images in Germany, but the high degree of brand awareness of 89 % did not develop automatically. IKEA publishes an annual catalogue. First published in Swedish in 1951, the catalogue is now published in 55 editions, in 27 languages for 36 countries, and is considered to be the main marketing tool of the retail giant, consuming 70 % of the company's annual marketing budget. With a print run of 191 million copies the IKEA catalogue is the most widely distributed commercial publication in the world.

The present study focusses on the following questions:

• Corporate-Identity and the “Bullerbü-factor”.

• Where is Klippan and who is Billy? – Product Names

• “Entdecke die Möglichkeiten” – IKEA-Slogans

• “Siezt du noch, oder duzt du schon?”

• Lebst du schon? – The “Bible-factor”

• Denkst du noch? – Summary and Perspective