Monkey employed for Ikea's new ad campaign
Ikea, the Scandinavian home furnishings company who sell everything from wooden chairs to wooden wardrobes, today announced their decision to launch a campaign encouraging more people to buy cushions and duvets from the store. And who better to help them with their project than Krinkle, a happy Swedish monkey with a peculiar partiality for soft furnishings.
Karl Mysen, Ikea's managing director, told the press, "I met Krinkle at a party last year. He was stroking a cushion and saying "I like this soft cushion" quietly to himself. We got chatting and he told me there was nothing he enjoyed more than hugging a soft blanket or duvet cover. That's when I got the idea for the campaign. The hope is seeing a happy little monkey will make people want to buy pillows."
Mysen is quick to refute any claims that the adverts are tacky or frivolous. "The adverts are highly artistic" he says. "The jingle was written by Sweden's foremost composer and recorder player, Helsig Vorner. It features an adaptation of Rachmaninov's 3rd played on the recorder. The lyrics were written by one of the Beegees."
Krinkle himself seems delighted at his inclusion in the campaign. When questioned, he commented, "I like this furry rug. What a nice rug" and then did a little dance.