That time Ikea and Spike Jonze broke my heart

Square

It was the early 2000s, September 2002 to be exact. Coming off of the Year 2000 high, on the surface everything still seemed mostly shiny and full of promise.

But there was a festering cynical darkness beginning to brew underneath the surface. It was a mostly hidden sarcastically dismissive view of the world that had started with that whole Y2K business and was now starting to bubble over.

And that’s when it struck, the Ikea commercial from hell. The lamp commercial that grabbed you by your still innocent heart, cruelly yanked it out of your chest and stomped on it while cackling with joyous laughter over your pain.

The poor little plain red lamp is unceremoniously tossed out on the curb by its former owners. Replaced by a shiny, new, and oh so trendy Ikea lamp, the little red lamp has been left for trash.

As the lamp sits all alone in the pouring rain the sad music swells. And just when you think you can’t take the heartache for even a moment longer a man strolls into the frame and begins mocking you, “Many of you feel bad for this lamp. That is because you crazy.”

I was scarred for life.

Surely you remember it. I can’t be the only one.

Here it is, in all its magnificently cruel Spike Jonze (no really) (and Ikea) glory…