Ikea reviews 4m account at AMV

Swedish furniture retailer Ikea is reviewing its 4m account at Abbott Mead Vickers.BBDO, after eight years.

The agency has refused to repitch for the business, though it is still under consideration by Ikea and could retain the account if no other agency comes up with suitable work.

“We’ve been with them for eight years and we felt we needed to have a look round. We are a growing company and we want to make sure we have the right agency on board,” says an Ikea spokeswoman.

The company is drawing up a shortlist of agencies to pitch for the account, which it claims is worth 4m this year. It says it plans to make a decision by the end of February next year.

AMV’s most recent work was a commercial featuring 20 Keith Chegwins and Nicholas Parsons in different actions all appearing on screen at the same time. This campaign was partly to support the opening of a new Ikea store in Leeds.

The furniture retailer has expanded in the UK from one store in 1987 to six stores this year and plans a steady store opening programme until the year 2000.

The company’s next store will open in November next year in Thurrock.