TheMarketingblog

Blunders : IKEA apologises after advert is slammed

IKEA has pulled a television advert and issued an apology after it provoked anger in China for being insensitive to single women.The commercial by the Swedish furniture chain shows a daughter being scolded by her mother for not ‘bringing home a boyfriend’.

Unmarried women in China have traditionally faced significant social pressure in a culture that places a high value on marriage and are often described as ‘leftover women’ . The 30-second advert opens with a daughter sitting down for a tense meal with her parents. When she addresses her mother as ‘mum’ she snaps back: “If you don’t bring home a boyfriend next time, then don’t call me mum!”