Ikea catalog with frum jews.

5*Mom

Thu, Feb 16 2017, 5:33 am

MagentaYenta wrote:

No pictures of women though.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/I.....omen/

It's *for* a particular demographic of frum Jews which is why it has frum Jews and no women. It's just targeted marketing.

iluvy

Sat, Feb 18 2017, 9:39 pm

"Ikea apologizes, promises to avoid repeating mistake"

Nice, except I remember the exact thing happened with their Saudi Arabia catalogue.

"Ikea released a statement expressing regret over the issue, saying: "We should have reacted and realised that excluding women from the Saudi Arabian version of the catalogue is in conflict with the Ikea Group values.""

That was in 2012

etky

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 12:22 am

According to an article that I read in the Hebrew media, Ikea International was upset when it got wind of the special catalogue, which was undertaken by Ikea Israel independently and issued a public statement on the matter. Ikea Israel was basically told by the parent company that it must retract the catalogue and apologize.
Regarding the 2012 catalogue in Saudi Arabia, I imagine that it too was a local decision by the Saudi Arabian or regional Ikea. It was also a slightly different case since, from what I understood, women were airbrushed from the regular catalogue. It wasn't a special publication for a specific marketing niche.

MagentaYenta

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 12:33 am

I sent Ikea Intl. an email today and CC'd it to Ikea Israel. From reading the original article about it I wanted to know whether the catalog for a niche market was sent to all in the country or a region. Or if the catalog was mailed only to that population niche.

etky

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 12:57 am

MagentaYenta wrote:

Well, I didn't get it and I usually do get the regular catalogue.
I think it was probably distributed in the heavily haredi areas and cities.
I can't think of any reason for it to have been distributed nation-wide, especially knowing that it would inevitably provoke the ire of certain non-haredi customers.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 9:26 am

etky wrote:

Etky, I heard of people who do not live in heavily haredi places that also got the catalog.

I just dont get the whole marketing ploy. People, many people, haredi people, go to ikea without seeing any catalog. I have gone many times. And I have not seen the catalog. I dont think they are going to get any more haredi people coming from the catalog. I really dont.

etky

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 9:40 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

I davka think that a catalogue is an excellent marketing ploy for the haredi market.
Before a trip to Ikea I consult the web-site to see what is available in the category that I need and to check the measurements and other specifications and also to check availability. It is a huge time saver to do that before you go - unless of course you're just going to browse, eat at the cafeteria and see if there is 'anything interesting' (I've done that too Smile

). But for a 'serious' trip I always spend time on the web-site. Haredim often don't have unlimited access to the internet so a catalogue - especially one that spotlights the type of furniture popular in the haredi market (bunk beds, bookcases, large dining tables etc).- that lists specifications and such would be even more necessary for this market.

moonstone

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 9:51 am

Skippy!! wrote:

The simpler solution would have been for them to create a catalog with out pictures of people. That way they could have avoided controversy.

I think they should have used dogs instead of people. That would have been much cuter. Ha, as I was typing this I remembered that charedim don't like dogs either.

etky

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 10:12 am

One of the reasons that I love going shopping in Ikea is that it is the ultimate microcosm of Israeli society. Literally all segments of society are represented: DL, secular, haredi, Arab, families with young kids, singles, young marrieds setting up house, empty-nesters, students, pensioners, olim chadashim (especially Russians and French), old-timers etc. It's a fun shopping experience with the flavor of chutz la'aretz and the stuff is affordable which is something that almost everyone appreciates. The place is almost always jammed, especially on chol hamo'ed and during the summer and winter sales.
Ikea as a company that celebrates diversity (as apparent in their general catalogue) and the store certainly is a testament to that ethos. That's why the idea of a catalogue like the one they put out for the haredi market really does seem so out of sync with the overall image of the brand.
I do think that from a marketing perspective it was a very smart move but honestly I'm shocked that it didn't occur to the local company that the format they used was antithetical to the persona of the parent company.

groisamomma

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 11:04 am

moonstone wrote:

I think they should have used dogs instead of people. That would have been much cuter. Ha, as I was typing this I remembered that charedim don't like dogs either.

This post reeks of Nazism.

DrMom

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 11:10 am

MagentaYenta wrote:

I live in Israel and I got the regular catalog. I live in a mixed city.

Iymnok

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 1:44 pm

I really don't get it. It's aimed at frum people. Frum people aren't bothered. Why the fuss?
Personally I think they should use just kids if they need models.

It bothers me when people fight for the rights of people who don't want them.
To be pictured in a catalogue is not something I relate to. The men also seem out of place. (What frum Jew is a model?) it seems like they're just trying too hard.

shabbatiscoming

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 1:47 pm

Iymnok wrote:

It is aimed at charedi people. There are all sorts of frum people. I consider myself frum. I am MO. I am very bothered by it.

treestump

Sun, Feb 19 2017, 1:47 pm

Iymnok wrote:

I really don't get it. It's aimed at frum people. Frum people aren't bothered. Why the fuss?.

Well, I'm frum, and I'm very bothered by it.

There weren't even any little girls! And IKEA is just imitating a trend seen in frum magazines, books, etc.

Who are the people who will actually be using those IKEA kitchens? Who are the people who gave birth to the kids featured? Who are the people who prepare an entire shabbos yet are erased from the shabbos table?

I am bothered, very bothered, and I know that many other frum women are as well.