IKEA, known for stylish yet inexpensive furniture worldwide, sent shockwaves through their base recently when they changed their font from a customized version of Futura to the standard Veranda. To the causal observer, this might seem like a minor refreshing of a tired image. IKEA fans were none too pleased though. From Tokyo to Stockholm, people tweeted their disgust in droves, trumping Ted Kennedy tweets. The change didn’t affect IKEA’s quality or product line, but the reaction shows just how valuable a brand image can be. Any urban dweller or penny pinching college student knows the big blue box. When passing a store on the highway, few people actually need to see the sign to know that it’s an IKEA. For a brand that has been so faithful to their image, small changes can make huge shockwaves. Now that they know how passionately their base feels about IKEA’s image, they could use that for good before the next shift. Involving the consumers in the future decisions would not only respect their consumers but also create positive chatter instead of backlash.
The full story at Time:
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1919127,00.html
