‘We design the price first’, insisted Ikea, in a poster that presented like a typical ad by the Swedish flat-pack retailer, only there was no photo evidence of the £80 armchair. Bold in its simplicity, the ad soon received a mixed reaction online, which raised differences in opinion on how advertisers should sell value.

For some, the poster incited too many questions: What corners were cut to manufacture an armchair that costs £80? Is Ikea taking 50% of the margin? How does £80 pay for sustainably sourced raw materials and fair labour costs? Others commended Ikea for understanding their customers’ needs with smart, eye-catching creativity.

“You don’t go to Ikea for a £4,000 sofa,” reflects Franki Goodwin, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi. “The idea about being built around the price feels very true. I can imagine that if a piece of furniture goes above a certain price point in manufacture, Ikea will say no because it’s built on affordability. That is the crux of it.”