The 2019 IKEA Canada Catalogue with Data Visualizations

THE 2019 IKEA CANADA CATALOGUE WITH DATA VISUALIZATIONS

BY JANE ZHANG

DECEMBER 2018

How this project came to be

This project was created after I received my copy of the 2019 IKEA Canada catalogue in the mail. At the time, I thought it would be fun to reimagine the IKEA catalogue with data visualization. I initially thought about making one visualization to capture the entire catalogue. But after going through the catalogue in-depth, I realized one visualization was not enough to capture the catalogue. I was very surprised at the various layers that IKEA designed into their catalogue. The catalogue itself was very easy to read, but a closer look reveals how much thought was invested. I tried to unravel those layers with this booklet and it was quite the challenge.

I decided to make this project in the form of a booklet because a) I have never made a booklet before and I wanted to learn, b) I wanted to learn how to tell cohesive stories outside the usual one visualization. A lot of the work I made in the past was one visualization or a series of it. But I wanted to learn how to string together several pages to say something cohesive while giving data visualization the spotlight. Too often I see a visualzation being in the support role.

Overall, I had three goals making this booklet: 1) To explore how I could visualize a catalogue 2) To explore data visualization through a new medium 3) To use data local to Canada This project would not be possible without feedback and support from John Abila and Jay Jeong. They both have been critical in the making of this booklet.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did making it.

-Jane

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Table of contents

05

HUMANIZING CATALOGUES

09

HOME SCENARIOS

15

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

21

POP OF JOY

28

METHODOLOGIES AND LIMITATIONS

32

REFERENCES

3

4

HUMANIZING CATALOGUES

The distribution of the IKEA catalogue is on par with the Harry Potter series and religious texts such the Quran and the Bible1. IKEA invests 70% of its marketing budget and requires 18 months of the year to build the yearly catalogue1. As a result, IKEA is pushing the boundaries product catalogues.

Traditional product catalogues tend to focus on the products and its specifications. The usual components are: an image of the product, a short description, price, and sometimes a brief on the designers who made them. The 2019 IKEA catalogue combined the traditional form of product catalogue with use of 7 specific user home scenarios to tell cohesive narratives. The general idea is looking at how products solve certain people’s needs.

Although simple in approach, it is effective in creating a reading experience where we connect with the characters in these homes and how they express our own lives. When people can see themselves in these narratives, they start to imagine the potential their homes have and what their lives could become.

Although it is powerful when a catalogue can spark people’s imagination, it’s not as compelling as being empowered to realize the dream. IKEA’s business idea is “to offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them”2. This means that IKEA has products that the average person can afford to make their vision for their homes a reality.

IKEA’s optimistic tone in the catalogue cements the idea of how life is filled with beautiful possibilities. There are pops of joy throughout featuring a solid colour and a product. These act as a gentle reminder to have fun and enjoy life.

This mini-book was made to explore storytelling in the 2019 IKEA catalogue through a series of data visualizations. It celebrates the humanistic approach that IKEA takes.

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The entire catalogue in 3 parts 1) Home scenarios: cohesive narratives featuring 7 unique homes 2) Product showcase: only looking at products categorized into specific rooms 3) Pop of joy: single pages that spread optimism and joy with bold colours

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Home scenarios

Product showcase

Pop of joy

Front/back matter 7

HOME SCENARIOS

The 2019 catalogue created fictional homes that many of us may belong to: perhaps you are a parent of 4 kids, or an older couple with an empty nest. Regardless of who you are, you can to some extent relate to the 7 homes IKEA has created. The first home scenario explored two young professionals living in a fast-paced urban city, they are looking to create a living space that helps them slow down and unwind. Another home explores how a young bachelor can maximize living in 16 square metres.

Each of these unique home scenarios are realistic and target specific user profiles.

We explore the tensions in the people living in these homes.

How can parents create private and shared spaces for their large family of 6? How could a parent express personality in a small home with their child? How can a family live resourcefully in their home? These are the challenges that IKEA work to address through their home scenarios.

In our homes These are the 7 unique home scenarios throughout the catalogue. It explores the people living in these homes and how they create their everyday lives with IKEA’s products.

Question: Life in the city can be stressful.

How could my home be a place for relaxation and a change of pace?

Solution: • Using closed storage to declutter • A muted palette with soft organic shapes to induce relaxation.

Question: How could my home express personality in my small home?

Solution: • Leverage multi-functional pieces, e.g. a sofa that converts to a bed • Use vivid colours • Add handmade DIY touches • Seating at the centre for sharing • Maximize vertical space for storage

Question: Objects carry memories and significance with them. How could they be shown without cluttering my home?

Solution: • Flexible living with seats and tables that can be easily rearranged • Open storage for easy access • Clear cabinets to display various possessions

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Question: What are ways to live that are good for my health and the planet?

Solution: • Using products that reduce waste, such as the TANUM rug made with leftover fabric • Storing leftovers in containers • Choosing products made from recycled wood or plastic • Planting herbs indoors

Question: In a family with a baby, kids, and teen, how could we create a space that serves everyone?

Solution: • Utilize hooks and rails to create more storage spaces • Maximize space with furniture that has more than one function • Use modular pieces to adapt to needs throughout the day

Question: In a space with young people, how could the space keep up with their pace that keeps changing?

Solution: • Fluid environments with lightweight and moveable pieces, like putting shelves on wheels • Creating open space for smooth workflow. Such as a kitchen without walls or a shelf without doors

Question: How do I maximize living in 16 square metres?

Solution: • Combine a sofa with bed above • Floor to ceiling storage. Use transparent bins to make it easy to access your things • Stackable furniture such as chairs • Make the most of the walls, add hooks, shoe storage, and shelves 11

Who is IKEA trying to reach with these narratives?

Each piece in the circle = 1 person.

The larger the piece = the older the person.

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Home #1 Haven in the city pp. 8-24

Home #2 Limited space, unlimited you pp. 56-68

Home #5 Full house pp. 172-192

Home #6 Open up to change pp. 204-216

Each home scenario spans about 8-10 pages and feature people that are relatable. The enclosed circle charts show how each household member plays a part in making the family whole. The age range and the number of members vary widely throughout the catalogue. Not all homes are the same. The diversity shown here allows IKEA to cater to as many people as possible.

Home #3 Where more is more pp. 96-114

Home #7 Room for big ideas pp. 264-274

Home #4 Resourceful and loving it pp. 116-134

Legend (age in years)

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Good design often comes with an expensive price tag. Whether that be a new phone, car, or an office chair.

However, IKEA challenges this as part of their democratic design process. Low price is one of the five key pillars of democratic design at IKEA: “At IKEA we design the price tag first and then develop the product to suit that price.”3.

A low price is often associated with poor quality and design. This is far from true with IKEA’s products. IKEA has put considerable amount of time into their products. For example, the standing mirror KNAPPER incorporates rails and hooks to hang clothes. This product was based on a survey of over 8,000 people in eight different cities.

They learned that 25% found the time between waking up and leaving their home as the most stressful period in the day4. As a result, KNAPPER was born, a mirror stand that lets you hang your clothes the night before to reduce next morning’s rush to get ready.

There is a lot of intention and thought that goes into IKEA’s products. Some could argue that the materials used in IKEA’s products are not the best, but that does not mean that it won’t meet the needs of people, or the planet.

KNAPPER

Is IKEA the most affordable among its key competitors?

Plate Plant pot Vase Garbage bin

1

Knife

1. Structube is the only competitor to have the fewest product varieties. E.g. Structube does not sell garbage bins or knives.

Food container Pillow

2. Generally, IKEA and Walmart tend to have the lower end of the price range among competitors.

Throw Storage box

Products

Table lamp Frying pan Wall shelf Folding chair

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Coat rack Dining chair Wardrobe Rug Office chair Office desk Chest of drawers Dining table Dressing table

3

Twin bed frame Futon sofa $0

Price (Canadian Dollars) 16

$50

$100

This graph shows the lowest prices of the products listed among IKEA, Walmart, Wayfair, and Structube in Canada. In general, IKEA tends to be more affordable among its competitors.

All data was manually collected. To read more on the methodology and limitations of the data collected, refer to pages 27-31.

IKEA

Walmart

Wayfair

Structube

3. Among most of the products listed here, IKEA has more options with lower prices.

$150

$200

$250

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Affordability is not only about the price tag, it is also budgeting for space.

IKEA achieves this by using vertical space, incorporating multi-functionality and adaptability (easy to move around and modify).

SORTERA Waste sorting bin with lid A

M

V

RÅSKOG Utility cart A

M

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LIERSKOGEN Nightstand A

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M

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GRANBODA Nesting tables, set of 3 A

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LIERSKOGEN Valet stand with mirror A

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VEBERÖD Room divider A

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IKEA PS 2014 Standing laptop station A

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UTÅKER Stackable bed A

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RÅGRUND Chair with towel rack A

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Adaptable

SALTRÖD Mirror with shelf and hooks M

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FROSTA Stool A

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TRONES Shoe/storage cabinet M

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Multi-functional

VARIERA Shelf insert A

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TERJE Folding chair A

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BURVIK Side table A

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Effective use of vertical space

VIGGJA Tray stand A

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DIHULT Pouffe A

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BITTERGURKA Hanging planter V

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POP

OF

JOY

It’s easy to take life too seriously. Internet Trolls are everywhere and constantly spread negativity. The news isn’t the best way to start your morning. You just found out your brother used your credit card again to order food. The dog bit the corner of the couch. But hey, that’s not what life is all about. There is always room to have fun, be silly, and spread joy.

The catalogue uses a casual and playful tone and there are many moments where parentheses are effectively used, like when a child is trying to secretly whisper to you that feels top-secret, but in reality, they just want you to pass them the ketchup. For example: “Rails and hooks are great for storing stuff on the wall.

Like this hamper right under your basketball hoop - all you need to do is dunk the laundry (though it may not wash itself).” p. 187 The writing is versatile in being able to adopt various perspectives. They captured how children experience bathroom spaces: “With storage both high and low, the little ones can easily get to their towels and rubber duckies, while the grownups’ medicines and fancy lotions remain safely out of bounds.” p. 189 There’s a lot of positivity in the copywriting, portraying IKEA as a friendly and appraochable brand. The friendly and positive tone really shines throughout the pages that have a full page of strong colour. I call these pages ‘pop of joy’.

How does IKEA reinforce optimism and joy?

This firework-like chart shows all the pages of the catalogue. The lines that are highlighted show where the ‘pop of joy’ pages show up.

The colours match what is on the actual page.

270

260

250

The pages where ‘pop of joy’ appear are: 013 025 037 045 055 069 095 115 135 143 149 167 171 181 193 203 217 227 235 253 263 275 295

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pg.1

10

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p.025

p.013

p.045

p.055

p.037

p.069

p.171

24

p.095

p.115

p.135

p.143

p.149

p.167

p.181

p.193

p.203

p.217

p.227

p.235

p.253

p.263

p.275

p.295 25

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QUESTION THE DATA

It’s very difficult to question data that is given to us, whether it’s from the news, an annual report, or a statistic on a billboard. Data comes at us from every angle and it is hard to remain critical of what we read. For example, the wellness space is filled with claims made by companies on how they could cure your ailments or how others could prevent you from getting sick. There are people who believe that the Earth is flat, deny climate change, and refuse to vaccinate their child.

There is a problem when people fail to seek evidence and go along with opinions of people with power. Although difficult to master as a skill, it’s important to criticize the information we receive. In spirit of this, I have criticized my own data and listed out the limitations of the methods I used to gather data. I hope this changes your perspective of the data I presented on pages 16-17, so that you will always question the data.

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Methodology and limitations METHODOLOGY Here are the steps I took to collect prices of products from IKEA, Walmart, Wayfair, and Structube.

1. Identifying IKEA products: I went through the 2019 IKEA catalogue and found 3-4 product categories per the following spaces: living room seating, living room storage, workspace, bedroom, clothes and shoe storage, dining, kitchen, and indoor/outdoor.

2. Identifying competitors: a search on Google was done to identify IKEA’s key competitors. I tried to find companies that sold furniture at low prices. I only chose companies that were at a similar scale as IKEA. As a result, I narrowed it down to Walmart, Structube, and Wayfair 3. Researching prices: Once the specific product categories were identified, the specific items with the lowest price were found on IKEA’s website first. I then tried to identify the lowest priced item on the competitor sites for the specified product. For example, if I am searching the price for a wardrobe on IKEA, the item that comes up is a portable fabric wardrobe. In my search on the competitors’ site, I would search for fabric wardrobe and not, for example, one made of whole wood.

LIMITATIONS Limited competitor set: some of the larger retailers were not considered but may have been competitive, such as Amazon and Costco. In addition, only competitors with online stores were considered. Dollarama would have competitive prices for products such as kitchenware or storage, but it was not considered due it not having an online store.

Impossible to repeat: The prices I found will fluctuate. I collected the data in November 2018 and these prices would have been affected by the nearing holiday season. If someone was to replicate what I did to collect the data, they will find variations to what I have found. In addition, products are constantly being added, removed, or modified. Ideally, if this research was done several times throughout the year, it would provide a more holistic idea of the prices IKEA and its competitors offered. The data collected could only be generalized to the fall season and not for the entire year.

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Lowest prices identified were not objective: finding the lowest priced item on Walmart and Wayfair was not easy. Even with a filter applied from low to high prices, it does not find the most relevant item. For example, if I was trying to find the cheapest bed on Walmart, it would return accessories that relate to the bed. As a result, items were searched based on relevancy and the lowest priced item was found manually. Someone could do the same search I did and find something with a lower price.

Restricted by search query terms: the search term used was very important. For example, ‘sofa bed’ would return different results than ‘futon’.

Although both are similar, they will show slightly different results. In order to find the products that most resembled the IKEA product, it was important to try different search terms.

Small sample size: considering the number of product types IKEA had, the number of types I chose were relatively small in comparison. The products selected may not represent all the products that IKEA had to offer.

Not apples to apples: the lowest priced item I identified on IKEA was not necessarily the same as what I found on Structube or Wayfair. In the case there weren’t similar results, I would find the lowest priced item in that category. For example, the lowest priced futon from IKEA was $129 and it was $249 from Structube. The difference was due to the materials used. IKEA’s futon used a mix of polypropylene and steel, while Strucube’s futon had eucalyptus wood. See the prices compared in the next page.

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The lowest price IKEA offers for a futon is $129, while at Structube it’s $249.

Therefore, the two products are not directly comparable.

IKEA HAMMARN $129.00 CAD Materials: Steel, Epoxy/polyester powder coating, polypropylene, polyester wadding, polyurethane foam, synthetic rubber Dimensions (LxWxH): 1.3m, 0.8 m, 0.1m Weight: 25.7kg

Walmart: DHP Kebo Futon Black Sofa Bed $194.97 CAD Materials: Microfibre Dimensions (LxWxH): 0.8m, 1.8m, 0.7m Weight: 31.3kg

Wayfair: Ward Metal Arm Futon and Mattress $219.99 CAD Materials: Microfibre/Microsuede Dimensions (LxWxH): 2.0m, 0.9m, 0.8m Weight: 29.3kg

Structube: MINA $249.00 CAD Materials: Polyester, MFD, plywood, eucalyptus wood, polyurethane foam Dimensions (LxWxH): 1.8m, 0.9m, 0.8m Weight: 41kg

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The price difference between IKEA and Structube’s desks would attribute largely to the amount of materials used which shows in the weight.

IKEA LINNMON $29.99 CAD Materials: Fibreboard, acrylic paint, particleboard, ABS plastic, paper Dimensions (LxWxH): 1m x 0.6m x 0.7m Weight: 7.3kg

Walmart: MAINSTAYS Oak Computer Desk $44.98 CAD Materials: Oak finish Dimensions (LxWxH): 1.1m, 0.5m, 0.7m Weight: 17.2kg

Wayfair: Tiemann 3D Writing Desk $58.99 CAD Materials: Particleboard, 3D PVC, metal tube in powder coating Dimensions (LxWxH): 0.6m x 0.5m x 0.7m Weight: 5.4kg

Structube: MINA $139.00 CAD Materials: MDF, solid ruberwood Dimensions (LxWxH): 1.2m x 0.6m x 0.8m Weight: 19kg

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References IMAGES All images used were taken from the following sites: https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/ https://www.walmart.ca/en https://www.wayfair.ca/ https://www.structube.com/

ARTICLES 1. Quito, Anne. “HOW THE IKEA CATALOGUE CRACKED WHAT ‘DOMESTIC BLISS’ MEANS IN

DIFFERENT CULTURES” Quartz. Quartz, 25 July 2017. 7 December 2018. <https://

qz.com/quartzy/1036380/ikea-catalogue-2017-defining-domestic-bliss-in-different-cul tures/>.

2. IKEA. “Welcome inside our company”. IKEA. IKEA, n.d. 10 December 2018. < https://www.ikea. com/ms/en_CA/this-is-ikea/about-the-ikea-group/index.html>.

3. IKEA. “Our low prices”. IKEA. IKEA, n.d. 5 November 2018. <https://www.ikea.com/ms/en_SG/ about_ikea/the_ikea_way/our_business_idea/our_low_prices.html>.

4. IKEA. “Design for everyone”. IKEA. IKEA, n.d. 5, November, 2018. < IKEA. “Our low prices”.

IKEA. IKEA, n.d. 3 December 2018. <https://www.ikea.com/ms/en_SG/about_ikea/ the_ikea_way/our_business_idea/our_low_prices.html>.

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