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Swedish furniture company, Ikea has apologized and pulled down a TV advertisement in China which was criticised for being sexist. The ad by the furniture chain shows a mother complaining that daughter does not bring her boyfriend home for dinner. The ad has been condemned for showing single women as someone who doesn’t deserve respect in the society. The ad was termed insensitive towards women who do not have partners. Although the ad has been taken down by Ikea, the video is still available on the internet.
The woman also tells her daughter to not call her ‘mom’ unless she brings someone with her for the next dinner. The mother tells, “If you don’t bring home a boyfriend next time, then don’t call me Mum!” Seeing the parents unhappy, the young woman comes to home the next day with a man. The parents are then delighted to see their daughter with her boyfriend and make arrangements for their welcome with Ikea products. From tableware to other home utilities, the parents arrange dinner for the couple surprising them.
Here is the company’s statement:
IKEA in china ran an ad suggesting unmarried woman are worthless? pic.twitter.com/Yh3kbKE2xM
— Bill Bishop (@niubi) October 25, 2017
According to a BBC report, unmarried females are colloquially referred to as “leftover women” in China. The report also states that the society pressurizes women to get married by the age of 27. The ad also caused social media outrage with internet users criticising the ad. Following which, Ikea apologized for the ad on China’s social media, Weibo. The company’s official statement read, “We understand the concern caused by this TV advertisement and sincerely apologize for giving the wrong perception. Ikea encourages people to live many different lifestyles and sees gender equality as a fundamental part of its culture and values.”
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