Nov 1, 2005 6:06 AM, PROMO Xtra, By Betsy Spethmann

Swedish retailer Ikea celebrated its 20th anniversary in the U.S. by wrapping its Chicago-area store like a birthday cake in an estimated $5 million-to-$8 million weekend blitz.

The Schaumburg, IL, store was completely covered with vinyl over the past weekend, and Ikea's 24 other U.S. stores sported party signage too. Store greeters served 300,000 pieces of birthday cake to shoppers; a microsite at Ikea.com shows a timeline for Ikea's 20 years in the U.S.

All stores gave shoppers 15% off over the weekend—the everyday-low-price retailer's first-ever storewide price cut, and comparable to its employee discount. Heavy newspaper and radio ads supported. PowerPact handled; the Richmond, VA-based agency was named Ikea's marketing agency of record last spring.

Ikea wrapped its Chicago-area store and gave its first-ever discount to celebrate 20 years in the U.S.

Separately, Ikea is preparing to launch a branded credit card, offering cardholders special financing and advance notice of sales and special events. The retailer is collecting e-mail addresses now from interested shoppers.

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