IKEA Canada revives iconic television advertisement reminding Canadian consumers of commitment to lower prices

IKEA Canada has begun to re-run one of its most iconic television advertisements, adding much-loved nostalgic energy to the home furnishing retailer’s commitment to lowering prices. The ad's signature phrase "start the car" has become a euphemism for getting an amazing deal since it first appeared two decades ago. Originally titled, "It's Not a Mistake" the spot first aired in 2004 to support IKEA Canada's annual summer sale. Today’s reboot is updated to reflect not a sale, but IKEA Canada's long-term commitment to investing in lowering prices on thousands of its popular home furnishing products. The iconic creative will air on television July 27th to August 11th and online from August 5th to 31st. 

“At IKEA, ‘start the car’ has become synonymous with our brand's breathtaking deals. As we continue to make bold moves to lower prices and pass savings along to Canadians, we thought a reprisal of this iconic creative would be a clever way to reinforce our commitment to affordability and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the campaign,” notes Jonelle Ricketts, Head of Marketing at IKEA Canada. “We hope the many Canadians enjoy the commercial’s revival and come visit us to discover all the incredible savings both in-store and online.” 

The script, casting, music and wonderful acting combined to deliver a 30-second commercial that resonated so well with audiences that it was picked up by IKEA markets around the world. "Start the car" has become a cultural icon for generations of Canadians and this spring, the creative was crowned Greatest Canadian Ad of the 21st Century. Through a multi-week, vote-in contest hosted by Campaign Canada, the business media brand serving Canada's marketing, advertising and media communities, IKEA Canada's creative came out on top.

Discover more about IKEA Canada’s commitment to lower prices here.

For more about what’s on sale in store and online, visit IKEA.ca.