Why are the majority of cats in IKEA's advert white?!

gurramok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7vXP3tHzhA&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7vXP3tHzhA

This ad struck me as odd. It starts off with a non-white cat but as the ad progresses, the vast majority of cats are white.

From my observational experience of cat colours over the years, most cats are either black & white or just black with a minority been white or ginger or just a mixed bag of colours(:D) but IKEA used mostly white ones.

Are they trying to get a subliminal message across that only white cats are welcome in their stores? :mad:

admiralofthefleet

jaysus

chin_grin

What is this? I don't even...........

EDIT: Also it's basic product psychology. Regarding colour/cuteness/or something/maybe. I'm more worried that you thought there was a racist slant to it!

MudSkipper

conspiracy forum

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constitutionus

i blame the clan.

Kasabian

Cos white pussy is more prevailant in Sweden

'cause black cats are unlucky.

admiralofthefleet

Deleted User wrote: »

'cause black cats are unlucky.

in ireland black cats are considered good luck

Kasabian

Deleted User wrote: »

'cause black cats are unlucky.

Not if you cross them heading east and the striaght line distance between you and the cat is greater than 50 feet.

admiralofthefleet

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

in ireland black cats are considered good luck

I'm presuming that the ad isn't made specifically for Ireland though.

AnonoBoy

I actually did my college thesis on this subject.

Research into the way animals in adverts are perceived has shown that a black coloured domestic animal encourages viewers to think of dirt and grime in the home whereas a white animal comes across as cleaner and fresher. Obviously when advertising household furnishings and the like the cleaner, fresher feeling is one that they want to inspire in viewers.

Conversely in outdoor pursuits ads, a darker coloured animal was found to be preferable as it conveyed danger and excitement - exactly what outdoorsy types are looking for.

For a safe middle ground zebras and penguins are often used. Hence the P-P-Pick a Penguin campaign and the Zobra the Zebra line of Pantie liners.

gurramok

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm presuming that the ad isn't made specifically for Ireland though.

It was on Irish tv last night

It was filmed in a Wembley, London store.

Are English cats majority white or something?!

Kasabian

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I actually did my college thesis on this subject.

Research into the way animals in adverts are perceived has shown that a black coloured domestic animal encourages viewers to think of dirt and grime in the home whereas a white animal comes across as cleaner and fresher. Obviously when advertising household furnishings and the like the cleaner, fresher feeling is one that they want to inspire in viewers.

Conversely in outdoor pursuits ads, a darker coloured animal was found to be preferable as it conveyed danger and excitement - exactly what outdoorsy types are looking for.

For a safe middle ground zebras and penguins are often used. Hence the P-P-Pick a Penguin campaign and the Zobra the Zebra line of Pantie liners.

Deep

petes

Well holy god.

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I actually did my college thesis on this subject.

Research into the way animals in adverts are perceived has shown that a black coloured domestic animal encourages viewers to think of dirt and grime in the home whereas a white animal comes across as cleaner and fresher. Obviously when advertising household furnishings and the like the cleaner, fresher feeling is one that they want to inspire in viewers.

Conversely in outdoor pursuits ads, a darker coloured animal was found to be preferable as it conveyed danger and excitement - exactly what outdoorsy types are looking for.

For a safe middle ground zebras and penguins are often used. Hence the P-P-Pick a Penguin campaign and the Zobra the Zebra line of Pantie liners.

That's pretty damned interesting actually and pretty much ends this thread

admiralofthefleet

lol wut?

Kasabian

Agreed most comprehensive ending to a thread ever.


Thread Closed

Saruman

gurramok wrote: »

most cats are either black & white or just black with a minority been white or ginger or just a mixed bag of colours(:D) but IKEA used mostly white ones.

This is completely untrue. Black cats are incredibly rare. In times gone by they were killed because of stupid religious types associating them with the devil and witchcraft and BS like that.

To find a black cat now is a very rare thing, less so in Ireland were we did not have as much burning at the stake but on mainland Europe and to a degree in the UK and a very large degree in the US you will be hard pressed to find a Black cat.

You will usually only find cats that are black with white patches on their paws and underside.

Anyway, that said and possibly being one of the reasons, I would say it is more down to contrast.

Did you notice that must of the furniture was also white? :eek:

FlutterinBantam

The cats used there ,in my opinion are not common cats.

The DSHC is not evident, you know the type, striped geezers with M over the nose area.

Yep, I'd say they were going for the middle class or pure bred cats there.

saw a few Burmese and Siamese..


interesting thread indeed.

prinz

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I actually did my college thesis on this subject.

Research into the way animals in adverts are perceived has shown that a black coloured domestic animal encourages viewers to think of dirt and grime in the home whereas a white animal comes across as cleaner and fresher. Obviously when advertising household furnishings and the like the cleaner, fresher feeling is one that they want to inspire in viewers.

Conversely in outdoor pursuits ads, a darker coloured animal was found to be preferable as it conveyed danger and excitement - exactly what outdoorsy types are looking for.

+1, most notably with the Pedigree Chum outdoorsy border collie and the Cesar dog foods use of a snow white West Highland indoors.

anniehoo

OP most of them in that ad are pedigree cats...not just the random moggie you find on the street. Theres prob about €5ks+ worth of cats in that ad...Birmans, Ragdolls,Sphynxs (black hairless cat).Domestic Shorthairs are moggies (ginger and white kitten).

How you can get a racist tone off that ad baffles me. Its one of my favs on tv at the moment. Unreal amount of cuteness in it

arybvtcw0eolkf

prinz wrote: »

+1, most notably with the Pedigree Chum outdoorsy border collie and the Cesar dog foods use of a snow white West Highland indoors.

Noisy, vicious little feckers... Thats why I don't eat Pedigree Chum.

Reginald Salty Rawhide

Reginald Salty Rawhide wrote: »

Noisy, vicious little feckers... Thats why I don't eat Pedigree Chum.

Why would you need a reason not to eat Pedigree Chum ...?

gurramok

Saruman wrote: »

This is completely untrue. Black cats are incredibly rare. In times gone by they were killed because of stupid religious types associating them with the devil and witchcraft and BS like that.

To find a black cat now is a very rare thing, less so in Ireland were we did not have as much burning at the stake but on mainland Europe and to a degree in the UK and a very large degree in the US you will be hard pressed to find a Black cat.

You will usually only find cats that are black with white patches on their paws and underside.

Anyway, that said and possibly being one of the reasons, I would say it is more down to contrast.

Did you notice that must of the furniture was also white? :eek:

Not around my way. Most are either jet black or black & white.

anniehoo wrote: »

OP most of them in that ad are pedigree cats...not just the random moggie you find on the street. Theres prob about €5ks+ worth of cats in that ad...Birmans, Ragdolls,Sphynxs (black hairless cat), Domestic Shorthairs (ginger and white kitten).

How you can get a racist tone off that ad baffles me. Its one of my favs on tv at the moment. Unreal amount of cuteness in it

So its a class issue?;)

Your indicating most pedigree cats are mostly white while the common cats are mostly non-white.

Why did they not use cats to reflect the wider society?

admiralofthefleet

Reginald Salty Rawhide wrote: »

Noisy, vicious little feckers... Thats why I don't eat Pedigree Chum.

more a brandy man?

Thrill

gurramok wrote: »

Are they trying to get a subliminal message across that only white cats are welcome in their stores? :mad:

I think they would prefer fat cats instead.

arybvtcw0eolkf

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

more a brandy man?

After a nice meal, please :cool:

anniehoo

gurramok wrote: »

Your indicating most pedigree cats are mostly white while the common cats are mostly non-white.

Whaaa? No i didnt feck sake...

Janey an argument really can be made out of anythin these days...or you've too much time on your hands to be reading things into an IKEA ad! Next you'll be asking why cats were used and not dogs :rolleyes:;)

AnonoBoy

anniehoo wrote: »

Next you'll be asking why cats were used and not dogs :rolleyes:;)

Well now that you mention it I did a research masters on that very subject........

pickarooney

Great example of a pisstake thread being hijacked by interesting, informative posting.
Good work Anonoboy.

Anyway, that said and possibly being one of the reasons, I would say it is more down to contrast.

Did you notice that must of the furniture was also white?

How do white cats contrast with white furniture? Black cats' shed hair would probably be a less welcome contrast with the white furniture.

gurramok

anniehoo wrote: »

Whaaa? No i didnt feck sake...

Janey an argument really can be made out of anythin these days...or you've too much time on your hands to be reading things into an IKEA ad! Next you'll be asking why cats were used and not dogs :rolleyes:;)

You did so!

Black cats have rights too you know! And they can miaoww on the catwalk pedigree style. Defo discrimination in that advert.

constitutionus

god damn cats, coming in here, taking our acting jobs !

AnonoBoy

pickarooney wrote: »

Great example of a pisstake thread being hijacked by interesting, informative posting.
Good work Anonoboy.

I was making it all up as I went along although I surprised myself in that it does make sense.

I never did my thesis on animals in advertising.

You don't have to do a thesis in clown college.

pickarooney

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I was making it all up as I went along although I surprised myself in that it does make sense.

I always thought 'taught' and 'research-based' degrees were an awful waste of time. More credit should be given for making plausible ѕhit up on the spur of the moment.

constitutionus

pickarooney wrote: »

I always thought 'taught' and 'research-based' degrees were an awful waste of time. More credit should be given for making plausible ѕhit up on the spur of the moment.

i think thats politics your on about.

Saruman

gurramok wrote: »

Not around my way. Most are either jet black or black & white.

As I said, Ireland was not affected as much but that does not matter as the ad was not made here.

Dyr

In IKEA
All cats are white
In IKEA
The textures coat my skin

gurramok

Saruman wrote: »

As I said, Ireland was not affected as much but that does not matter as the ad was not made here.

It's broadcast here, I watched it last night!

Googling cat colours certainly does not bring up white coloured cats as the dominant cat!

Saruman

gurramok wrote: »

It's broadcast here, I watched it last night!

Googling cat colours certainly does not bring up white coloured cats as the dominant cat!

It may be broadcast here but that means nothing. Very few ads are made in Ireland, they are usually made in the UK and broadcast here because we are the same market.

On the cat thing, it is very likely I am talking through my arse

It just strikes me that completely black cats are very rare, especially in the US and the reason I have always heard is that black cats were hunted down and killed during the witch trials etc

pickarooney

Completely anything cats are rare - there's usually some big of mongrel in there.

anniehoo

pickarooney wrote: »

Completely anything cats are rare - there's usually some big of mongrel in there.

Dont let Pedigree cat breeders hear ya say that...:p

Noodleworm

I saw the making of video of this ad a while ago. The cats all belonged to volunteers who brought them along to a British ikea one night and let them loose.
I assuming the white thing is either to do with hair, as it might be easier to clean white hairs, or some of the long haired cats don't shed.

Its probably just an aesthetic thing though. It looks tidier and calmer to have cats of one colour. White being nice and neutral.

gurramok

Saruman wrote: »

It just strikes me that completely black cats are very rare, especially in the US and the reason I have always heard is that black cats were hunted down and killed during the witch trials etc

I disagree that black cats are very rare, i've seen a good few in number around.

Still, white cats are no way the majority of the cat population to be represented in the advert. In fact, other non-white cats of all colours were mostly excluded as cats of other colours way outnumber the white ones, bloody disgraceful :mad: ;P

gurramok

Noodleworm wrote: »

I assuming the white thing is either to do with hair, as it might be easier to clean white hairs, or some of the long haired cats don't shed.

Its probably just an aesthetic thing though. It looks tidier and calmer to have cats of one colour. White being nice and neutral.

Ah here, so other coloured cats are dirtier than white cats? wtf?!

prinz

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I was making it all up as I went along although I surprised myself in that it does make sense..

Good job though, you hit the nail on the head. I saw something about it on the net before.

gurramok

prinz wrote: »

Good job though, you hit the nail on the head. I saw something about it on the net before.

Link as to why white is better than black?:eek:

Rented Mule

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

in ireland black cats are considered good luck

Especially if you are trying to start a band called Thin Lizzy.

prinz

gurramok wrote: »

Link as to why white is better than black?:eek:

Just to do with people with small housedogs more likely to be concerned with cleanliness, tidiness etc, so you have a spotless snow white little lap dog or something if the advert is filmed indoors as opposed to big drooling boxer for instance :pac: Basically as Anonoboy pointed out it was to do with where the ad was set, so an ad set in the outdoors would more likley feature a bigger rough-and-tumble dog.

gurramok

prinz wrote: »

Just to do with people with small housedogs more likely to be concerned with cleanliness, tidiness etc, so you have a spotless snow white little lap dog or something if the advert is filmed indoors as opposed to big drooling boxer for instance :pac: Basically as Anonoboy pointed out it was to do with where the ad was set, so an ad set in the outdoors would more likley feature a bigger rough-and-tumble dog.

Whats wrong with a lovely Black Labrador or a Chocolate or a Yellow one?!

Jayzus, people's perceptions of creatures based on their colour in order to sell stuff is really twisted.:mad:

anniehoo

The making of the Ad

johnmcdnl

because one white cat had white kittens and then it was cheaper to use the family of cats they had rather than buying another black or tabby cat to prevent questions like this one...