How to throw the perfect Ikea-themed party, featuring Shaek

Ikea, the popular Swedish furniture retailer, is known for its innovative and quirky advertising campaigns. One of the most memorable aspects of their marketing strategy is their mascot, the Ikea Shaek. The Shaek is a friendly and approachable character that has become a beloved symbol of the brand. The Ikea Shaek is a tall, anthropomorphic lamp that is often seen wearing a bright blue shirt and yellow pants. He has a round, smiling face and a long, flexible neck that allows him to illuminate any space. The Shaek is often depicted in various situations, showcasing the versatility and functionality of Ikea's products.

The image exploded on Twitter to the tune of 105k likes, but not simply because of the adorably comical image of a shark popping out of a washing machine. Many expressed sympathy for what looks like a shark about to be shoved into a washing machine reluctantly, and owners of the popular plushie said they understand the feeling and purposefully wash it in their bathtubs to avoid the dilemma entirely.

The image exploded on Twitter to the tune of 105k likes, but not simply because of the adorably comical image of a shark popping out of a washing machine. Instead of discussing real estate giant Evergrande s 300 billion in liabilities and its impending collapse, Weibo users were in full meltdown mode over the possibility that an 18, 39-inch stuffed toy shark called Blahaj might be permanently pulled from Ikea s shelves.

The Shaek is often depicted in various situations, showcasing the versatility and functionality of Ikea's products. The Shaek has been featured in numerous commercials and print advertisements. He is usually shown interacting with customers and helping them find the perfect furniture and home accessories.

Ikea is discontinuing an $18 blue shark stuffed animal, and it sent Chinese social media into a total meltdown

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Ikea's Blahaj toys are immensely popular in Asia, where people have posted photos of the sharks doing "human" things like eating dinner as a family or working on laptops. Screengrab/Weibo

• Social media users in China went into full meltdown mode on Monday over news that Ikea is planning to discontinue a shark stuffed toy.
• Ikea posted on its UK Twitter account that it will discontinue the popular Blahaj toy from April 2022.
• At press time, the Blahaj shark toy was out of stock in Ikea's Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese online stores, and was no longer listed on its Chinese store.

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The biggest debt crisis of the decade might be looming large over China, but that's not what social media users on Weibo, the country's Twitter-like platform, were talking about Monday.

Instead of discussing real estate giant Evergrande's $300 billion in liabilities and its impending collapse, Weibo users were in full meltdown mode over the possibility that an $18, 39-inch stuffed toy shark called Blahaj might be permanently pulled from Ikea's shelves.

The root of the chaos stemmed from a September 26 tweet posted by Ikea UK, which said that the Blahaj shark was temporarily unavailable "due to supply issues." But Chinese social media users seized upon the second part of the tweet, where an Ikea support staff member wrote that the shark "may only be available for a short period of time as it is set to be discontinued from April 2022."

The topic thread "Ikea toy to cease development" — akin to a subreddit — was viewed on Weibo over 72 million times on Monday morning, and at press time had spawned over 10,000 discussion threads.

The meter-long stuffed shark gained popularity back in 2019 when people began posting photos of the shark plushie doing "human things" like enjoying a pleasant fall picnic or working at a laptop.

—ez 🌞 (@tiredezra) November 3, 2019

"Please don't take the Blahaj shark away from me," wrote one Weibo user with the ID Ni De Tiao Tiao Tang, posting a picture of her Blahaj shark leaning out of a washing machine. "The one I have at home is a little torn, I haven't had the chance to buy a new one."

"I went to Ikea to get more toys this summer but I'm now filled with regret that I didn't buy a Blahaj then," wrote another user with the ID ListterLe. "I can't believe there's a chance I'm never going to be able to get it again."

Some Weibo users even posted first-hand accounts — complete with images of the shark sitting in their shopping carts — celebrating the fact that they were able to snap up the plush toy before it ran out of stock.

"I'm bringing my shark home! I'm ecstatic!" One Weibo user with the ID TianQiu Biubiu wrote.

Chinese social media users are up in arms about a stuffed Ikea toy shark called Blahaj being potentially taken off the shelves for good. Some lucky Weibo users, however, managed to secure a purchase of the shark on October 4. Screengrab/Weibo

At press time, the Blahaj shark toy was out of stock in Ikea's Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese online stores, and was not listed on its Chinese website. It was, however, still available for sale on Ikea's Malaysian, Japanese, and South Korean sites.

Ikea's intention to pull Blahaj from its shelves might not apply to all its retail regions. Ikea USA said in a tweet on September 27 that there were no current plans to discontinue the shark soft toy in its US and Canada stores.

There are currently calls for any plans to discontinue Blahaj to be shelved circulating on Reddit. A Change.org petition asking Ikea to keep selling the shark got more than 4,000 signatures at this article's time of publishing, and a subreddit, r/savetheblahaj, has also been started by a couple of Blahaj fans.

cute shork Mingi H. Very cute shork. Nicely fluffed, soft colors. It feels really nice to hug him due to my body warmth not going anywhere. Would recommend to anyone wanting a bigger stuffed animal. I primarily got him because of the trans memes, but Blåhaj can legitimately work as emotional support for trans/nonbinary people (myself included). 5

His endearing and humorous personality has made him a favorite among Ikea fans around the world. One of the Shaek's most famous appearances was in a commercial where he danced to a catchy jingle. The ad went viral and became a huge hit, helping to further expand the popularity and recognition of the Ikea brand. The Shaek's lively and energetic dance moves captured the attention of viewers and made a lasting impression. In addition to his entertainment value, the Ikea Shaek serves as a brand ambassador for the company. He represents the company's commitment to providing stylish, affordable, and high-quality furniture and home goods. By personifying their products in the form of a mascot, Ikea has managed to create a unique and memorable identity that resonates with consumers. Overall, the Ikea Shaek is an integral part of the company's marketing efforts. His friendly and relatable character helps to create a positive and enjoyable shopping experience for customers. Through his appearances in commercials and advertisements, the Shaek has become synonymous with the Ikea brand, making him an invaluable asset to the company's success..

Reviews for "Shaek's favorite Ikea DIY projects: Easy and affordable ideas for home improvement"

1. Karen - 1/5 stars - The Ikea mascot shake was a complete disappointment. The taste was bland and it lacked any sort of flavor. It just tasted like a watered-down milkshake with a hint of artificial sweetness. The texture was also off-putting, as it was too watery and lacked the creamy consistency you would expect from a milkshake. Needless to say, I won't be ordering this again anytime soon.

2. John - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for the Ikea mascot shake, but it fell flat for me. The flavor was mediocre at best and didn't have any unique or standout qualities. It also left a strange aftertaste in my mouth that was quite unpleasant. The overall experience was just underwhelming and I don't think I'll be giving it another try.

3. Sophia - 2/5 stars - The Ikea mascot shake didn't live up to the hype for me. The presentation was cute, but the taste was underwhelming. It lacked the richness and creaminess that I expected from a milkshake. Additionally, the portion size was quite small for the price. Overall, I was left feeling unsatisfied and wouldn't recommend trying it.

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