IKEA Malaysia's retail arm Ikano takes on Penang-inspired branding

Ikano Centres recently unveiled Klippa, its new retail destination and mixed-used development which aims to be the cultural heart and hub for the growing Batu Kawan township. Klippa's branding was done in collaboration with Dragon Rouge, which was appointed last May, and the agency's Asia CEO, Zayn Khan, explained to A+M that the concept behind the Klippa brand was inspired by the rich and creative environment that is Penang.

"The vibrant street art scene and the architectural and culinary heritage of Penang inspired the visual identity language, and we chose lively colours that would pop in the retail and digital environments," he explained. Beyond simply a visual identity, the team at Dragon Rouge created for Ikano a blueprint for the brand experience, including ideas for activation and community engagement. "It was an exciting project, and the client was very engaged and supportive of creating a truly unique identity infused with creative spirit and modernity," Khan added.

This is Ikano Centres' first northern region presence, and Klippa will offer a unique retail experience with an integrated shopping centre and will house over 300 brands.

Ikano Centres is also exploring additional commercial and residential opportunities to add to its meeting place, which will be developed in a phased approach to meet Batu Kawan's growing community of students, families, and professionals at the neighbouring Batu Kawan Industrial Park.

While Ikano Centres declined to comment on the monetary investment behind the branding, Natasha Aziz, head of customer experience and digital (shopping centres) from Ikano told A+M that Klippa targets the community of Batu Kawan and beyond, and has "a robust marketing calendar" catering to those living within the catchment area, with a focus on arts and culture. This includes the Klippa Art Run which is the next key event coming up.

The first phase of Klippa was launched in December 2019. Next, a unique F&B drive-thru was introduced in November 2021. Its first tenant was a McDonald's drive-thru providing more dining options for the community. Klippa also intends to drive the local arts and culture scene in line with Penang State Government's vision to bring arts and culture to Batu Kawan and fulfil the synonymity of Penang with street art. Ikano Centres is part of Ikano Retail, which owns IKEA stores in five countries as well as shopping centres that are anchored by IKEA.

Last December, Ikano Centres said it maintained a healthy lease rate of 92% at its shopping centres throughout the past 18 months. It introduced digital innovations aimed to support its tenants throughout closures while giving its visitors multiple ways to engage with their centres, including initiatives such as personal shopper services through GoGet, livestreams supported by social commerce, campaigns powered by GrabFood and foodpanda, and optimising its shopping centre apps to facilitate convenience to shoppers through order and collect services.

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