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IKEA names lesser goods after, wipes shoes on Denmark

By squirrelbait - March 6, 2008

in Object Culture

According to a few Danish researchers, IKEA's use of Danish names for products are reserved for the least prestigious products such as doormats, floor runners, carpeting--basically anything that touches the bottoms of shoes. The Swedish company assigns Swedish town names to furniture, bookcases and multimedia consoles, Norwegian ones to beds, dressers and hallway furniture, and Finnish ones for chairs and dining tables. "As it turns out, nothing is random at IKEA -- and certainly not light." A boycott was planned but unfortunately, very short-lived when "Danes realized that there is no real alternative to the giant home furnishings stores in their country." IKEA's spokesperson Charlotte Lindgren responded, "It's nonsense to say that we did this on purpose. It was a pure coincidence, and it happened many decades ago...Besides these critics appear to greatly underestimate the importance of floor coverings. They are fundamental elements of furnishing. We draw worldwide attention to Danish place names with our products. That has to be a positive thing." via swissmiss

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IKEA names lesser goods after, wipes shoes on Denmark

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