As the valley waits with bated breath for Apple’s marquee event next week, Ikea is stifling a laugh.
The Swedish furniture maker has released an ad for its fall catalog that pokes fun at Apple’s self-important marketing. Sitting before a stark white backdrop, Chief Design Guru Jorgen Eghammer solemnly announces that for its next feat of design, the company will give customers a “book book,” rather than a digital book or an ebook.
The camera then jumps to a shot of the catalog rotating celestially. When the “book book” lands on a breakfast table, Eghammer rattles off a list of features that would leave many Valley engineers green with envy. The interface is 7.5 X 8 inches, but users can easily expand it by opening the book. The device comes replete with content – no need to download – and users can jump between features with state of the art touchscreen technology. What’s more, the device has no cables.
“And the battery life is eternal!” Eghammer raves.
Touching on what has become a hot-button issue for Apple this week in the wake of the celebrity photo breach, Eghammer touts the device’s robust privacy system. If an intruder tries to hack into a catalogue, users can ward them off by saying, “Excuse me, that’s mine.”
We’re curious to know how the video is being received at Apple HQ. With its sleek minimalism, Ikea seems like a brand the late Steve Jobs just might have liked.
As it rolls out its fall catalogue, Ikea is poking fun at Apple’s grandiose marketing. (Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for IKEA)
