For a brief few days, fans of Swedish flat-pack furniture mingled among the fashion set with absolute impunity.
Balenciaga’s new $2,610 Arena Extra-Large Shopper Tote Bag so strongly resembles IKEA’s 99c blue hold-all that the meatball-dealing retailer actually called the company out by name.
Now, IKEA has gone a step further, detailing the differences between the two bright blue units. And they reckon theirs is better. With a brand new ad, IKEA has gone ahead and listed each and every way their Frakta bag trounces its Italian leather descendant.
According to the company, there are six key takeaways. We are most certainly here for the #5, which is, by far, the snarkiest:
“1) Shake it. If it rustles, it’s the real deal.2) Multifunctional. It can carry hockey gear, bricks, and even water.3) Throw it in the dirt. A true Frakta is simply rinsed off with a garden hose when dirty.4) Fold it. Are you able to fold it to the size of a small purse? If the answer is yes, congratulations.5) Look inside. The original has an authentic Ikea tag.6) Price tag. Only $0.99.”
Waterproof? Foldable? Able to stow bricks? Amazing scenes.
Johan Holmgren, the creative director of the agency behind IKEA’s new ad, said the whole thing came together almost instantly after Balenciaga released their bag. As for the fashion label’s obvious homage, Holmgren said it was “unexpected and brilliant. I liked the flirt. And I thought, why not flirt back?”
Get a room, guys. And some tasteful mid-century inspired furnishings to fill it out.
Source and photo: AdWeek.
