Swedish home retailer picks up accolade at the 2011 Cannes Lions Awards and is praised for its "creative, unconventional and humorous advertising".
Ikea global retail manager and vice president Noel Wijsmans, who picked up the award during the ceremony on Saturday, said: "We want to inspire people to fulfil needs and dreams in their everyday life at home. And we want to do that with a smile." He went on to thank the many creative agencies Ikea works with worldwide.

The retailer has won 50 Lions since 1991, across a number of categories, including the Film Grand Prix in 2003 for its US ad 'Lamp' and a Titanium Lion in 2010 for a Facebook campaign to promote the launch of its Malmö store in Sweden. Recent UK commercials include comedy show-style 'Peace Love and Storage', 'Cats', which saw 100 cats take over the Ikea store in Wembley and the popular 'Kitchens', set to Jona Lewie's You'll Always Find Me In The Kitchen At Parties.

Cannes Lions ceo Philip Thomas said: "Ikea's approach to marketing and communications, with its decentralised structure and string relationships with man different agencies, has been hugely successful over many years. The company's superb track record at Cannes Lions reveals a clarity of vision and an enviable willingness to allow its agencies to truly flex their creative muscles. We congratulate both IKEA and its many agencies across many countries on this well-deserved honour."

Ikea currently operates 284 stores in 26 countries and reported a turnover of €23.1bn for 2010.