Ikea's MTV Cribs parody is a savvy hit for hard times

MTV's Cribs is perhaps the epitome of the public fascination with the combination of outrageous celebrity wealth and terrible taste, allowing us to admire (and cringe at) musicians, actors and athletes' ludicrously ostentatious interior design choices. But for Ikea, that kind of bragging is so twenty years ago. Faced with higher inflation, today's consumer thinks savvy.

The Scandinavian flat-pack furniture giant has launched its #ShowOffYourSavvy campaign with an amusing pastiche of the MTV series. It's promoting the small joys of saving cash amid the cost of living crisis (Ikea's also behind one of our picks as the best print ads).

“Welcome to my crib,” begins the host in Ikea's tongue-in-cheek new ad. But despite the confident swagger, our host is no celebrity. With the rising price of food and energy making home improvements the last thing on many people's minds, Ikea's out to show that savvy purchases can be as satisfying as any extravagance

In the TV ad created with Mother, a regular guy gives us a tour of his regular house and the sensible purchases he's made. Instead of designer sofas, we have washable covers. In the bedroom "where the magic happens", we have energy-saving lighting.

The campaign is accompanied by a series of short films for social media with on-trend 'unboxings' of Ikea products. There's also a companion site with tips on saving money and reducing waste. 

We've seen many creative ads from Ikea over the years, with the brand often being quick to respond to trends (see our pick of the best satirical ads for another example). This campaign shows it still has its finger on the pulse.

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