I was thinking about David Letterman yesterday, due to all of this writers strike controversy – and as I was driving past an Ikea store at the time, it struck me that a classic top-ten list phrase might be something like “things overheard: “damn, those Swedes sure know how to decorate”.

Driving further, I started wondering why that phrase was so funny. Perhaps it’s a local stereotype of Swedes as dour minimalists? Or perhaps it’s the irony – the designers at Ikea really do know how to decorate!

In fact, Ikea not only knows décor, they also know marketing very very well. In fact, their marketing is like their furnishings – simple, yet elegant and functional.

So in the spirit of David Letterman, let me offer up a top ten list on marketing based on Ikea. Specifically, here are the top ten Marketing lessons to learn from Ikea:

10.  It’s universal. Ikea furnishings look as appropriate in Dubai or London as they do in Wisconsin – and even their packaging and instructions are pictoral; there’s no language needed.

9.  It’s customer-friendly. Again, instructions are pictures, and assembly usually requires at most one tool – a hex key, which is itself just a pent piece of metal, and which is included in the package.

8.  It’s efficient. The furnishings are all designed for easy manufacture and flat-pack optimized shipping.

7.  It’s streamlined, but comprehensive. Most Ikea stores have one path you follow through the store – minimizing traffic flow variables, maximizing display space, and making it easy to find and buy the maximum number of items

6. It’s inexpensive. Doesn’t cost too much.

5. It looks and feels more expensive than it is (perceived quality!)

4. It’s straightforward. A chair is a chair. It doesn’t try to also be a massager, computer rest, sofa, game console, stereo. There are a minimum of un-needed features.

3. It’s elegant. People want it.

2. It’s in context: you’ll find a bed displayed in a bedroom setting, with other bedroom items. This helps people envision usage, and buy.

1. It’s generally inoffensive. Like the medical code, “first, do no harm”, or IBM’s famous “no one was ever fired for buying IBM”, there are no barriers to adoption.

So with that, hope the writers strike ends soon, and for you all – next time you’re thinking about your marketing campaign, ask yourself: WWID, or what would Ingvar Kamprad do?

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