Works!
The Ikea
Bookbook
The Original Touch Interface
By Leah Wheeler
32
“Once in a while, something comes along that changes the way we
live, a device so simple and intuitive, using it feels almost familiar.”
So says Jörgen Eghammer, “chief design guru” at Ikea in a
video promotion for the Swedish budget furniture giant’s 2015
print catalogue.
“Introducing the 2015 Ikea catalog. It’s not a digital book or
an e-book. It’s a bookbook,” Eghammer explains solemnly. “First
thing to note is no cables, not even a power cable. The 2015 Ikea
catalog comes fully charged, and the battery life is eternal. The
interface is 7.5 by 8 inches but can expand to 15 by 8 inches.
The navigation is based on tactile touch technology that you can
actually feel.”
In September 2014, Apple launched the iPhone 6 to great
public fanfare. At the same time, Ikea was distributing millions of
printed catalogs to consumers, and Ikea executives knew they
needed to come up with a novel way to get people excited about
the arrival of the print catalog in their mailboxes. By launching it
as a blatant spoof of Apple and a satirical shot across the bow at
over-the-top tech fervor in general, they made their point.
The Ikea video promotion, which was produced by the Singa-
pore office of ad agency Bartle Bogle and Hegarty, has since
gone viral.
With tongue firmly in cheek, video spokesperson Eghammer
promotes bookbook “technology,” saying: “At only 8mm thin, and
weighing in at less than 400g, the 2015 Ikea catalog comes
pre-installed with thousands of home furnishing ideas. To start
browsing, simply touch and drag (as he turns the pages). Right to
left to move forward; left to right to move backward.”
The ad was shot against a stark white backdrop, reminiscent
of Apple’s promotional aesthetic. Eghammer speaks enthusiasti-
cally about the extraordinary bookbook, describing its many user-
friendly features in geek-speak terms. He describes the book-
book’s easy bookmarking (by dog-earing the corner of a page),
“eternal” battery life, “crystal clear” images and “instantaneous
page loading no matter how fast you scroll (as he flips through
the catalog).”
“Amazing!” he intones deadpan.
When something generates as much media frenzy as an Apple
c o n t i n u e d o n pag e
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