After teasing the world for the best part of a week, Ikea France has finally announced the truth about its mysterious Leko is-it-a-car-isn't-it-a-car web campaign.
And I have to say that - given the web chatter that it generated - it is a little disappointing. As some people suspected, Ikea has not announced it is to offer its very own car (allen key included), but is rolling out a "ride-share" scheme for its customers in France.
Ikea says:
There are many goals with this service: allowing those that cannot drive to Ikea to get there by car after all; being on the side of those who are cost conscious; offering a new practical solution to help customers to change their behaviour. Everybody wins: drivers, passengers and the environment.
Forgive me if I feel a little underwhelmed, but I think Ikea might have shot itself in the foot a bit with this one. This is a little like crying wolf – but in reverse. You actively – and skilfully, it must be said – build up people's expectations, only to leave them a a tad deflated by the "is that it?" of it all. It's not even the first time Ikea has offered such a service. Plus you can already do it with Liftshare in the UK, for example.
What do you think?
