How to choose an agency

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The founder of The One furniture chain, Thomas Lundgren, didn't disappoint a crowd that was eagerly anticipating an unconventional speech, delivering one in the style that has become synonymous with the chairman.

He kicked off his speech with a video illustrating his dream of a brand that saves the world from old, repetitive and over-priced furniture retailers.

When confronted about his statement that he was ‘on a mission to save the world from IKEA', Lundgren's simple reply was: "Someone has to do that."

While Lundgren's topic of discussion was How To Choose An Agency, the chairman shared his own company's journey, and struggle, in pursuing the best agency that would bring his message across to buyers most effectively.

"It's not important what you buy; it's what you feel you want. That's what we need in our advertising, something magical. That's why our stores are known as ‘theatres', because we need to excite our own people because if they don't get excited how do we get the people to come to our stores?" he said.

Lundgren was not impressed with advertising, and not just in this part of the world but globally. He held the view that most advertising was "brain damage".

"Honestly, is there anything that makes you emotionally interested in advertising in Dubai? Is there anything in England, how exciting is advertising there?" he asked before dropping the explosive statement that "Advertising is dying".

The furniture shop founder might have been excused and maybe better understood, when the audience were given a glimpse of what he endured to find the right advertising agency.

Lundgren launched a very unique pitch where he invited representatives of different ad agencies to enjoy a party, and listen to his speech about the company and what it stands for. Following that, they were asked to go home, write a song about The One, and submit a CD the following day, which granted them entry into the pitch.

"Is that special? No, but it seems to be the biggest thing in Dubai because everybody started to write about it.

"There's so much little happening here, you're controversial if you just take off your tie!" Lundgren said.

Lundgren recalled that he once landed an agency which he worked with for a period of time, before coming to a breaking point where he just decided to stop trying.

During his speech, he stated that advertising will "disappear" from The One and will be used only in minor areas.

"It is horrible," he said with regard to his views on advertising today, adding: "Advertising should make your day, make you smile, it shouldn't be what it is today; all about hard sell.

"And I think that Dubai has not done anything better than the rest of the world. I dream of the day Dubai does something better than the rest of the world."

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