Because nothing complements a dysfunctional family like a BILLY bookshelf

I used to think IKEA was a fun place to shop. A fair number of neat things that fit in with my house, Swedish meatballs with lingonberries, and an almost singles-bar like atmosphere — there are a lot of good-looking women and lots of flirty eye-contact at everyone’s favourite assemble-the-bookshelf-yourself store.

(I’ve even gotten someone’s phone number there once; while I’m sure the accordion helped, the IKEA vibe played a large part too. I’ve always held the belief that IKEA should turn itself into a singles bar on weekend nights.)

Now I’m scared of the place. Their new television ads creep me out.

I recently saw IKEA’s two new spots, which I mentally refer to as “marriage on the rocks” and “pregnant teenage daughter”. Here’s a description of the ads, taken right from IKEA’s own press release:

Directed by The Royal Tenenbaums writer/director Wes Anderson, the second series of the campaign’s TV ads, “Kitchen” and “Living Room,” use humorously frank family discussions to show that life is “unböring” and so is shopping at IKEA.

The first thirty-second commercial, “Kitchen,” peeks into the life of a couple that is in the midst of an argument. The wife is “stuck in here like some prisoner” and accusing her husband of “prowling the streets,” when suddenly they are interrupted by a voice, “so…” The camera pulls back to show an IKEA showroom display and an IKEA co-worker, “what do you guys think?” The couple looks around the IKEA kitchen and says, “it feels good, we’ll take it.” A product montage with the IKEA logo and “shop unböring” flashes during the last few seconds.

In the second spot, “Living Room” which will air later in the month, we see a young woman slouched in a chair across from her mother. “Honey, what’s wrong?” her mother asks. “I’m pregnant,” she answers. Her father begins ranting about her “creepy boyfriend” and saying “I knew this would happen.” An IKEA co-worker interrupts the two, “so…what do you think?” The camera pulls back to reveal an IKEA living room showroom display. “I like it. It feels good, we’ll take it,” says the couple. The IKEA logo and “shop unböring” flash during the last few seconds.

I’m waiting for an ad where a couple are sullenly eating their Swedish meatballs with lingonberries at the IKEA cafeteria when she throws down her fork, narrows her eyes to cold slits and says with gritted teeth: “Where…is…this…relationship…going?”

[Thanks to EveTushnet.com for the link.]