The beginnings of TV broadcasting in Sweden and delayed TV advertising
The birth of television broadcasting in Sweden dates back to 1956, when the first television station TV1 was established. In 1966, the first testing colour broadcasts were run, and in 1970 regular colour broadcasting was launched. For a long time, there was only one television channel. TV2 was launched in December 1969, and only a few months later broadcasting in colour started. The full-screen commercial TV4 was launched in 1992.
Until the 1980s, there was no such thing as a commercial TV channel in Sweden. And there was no television advertising either. It is important to note that although SVT1 and SVT2 (the original TV1 and TV2 channels, which were renamed in 1992) did offer sort of “information” segments, which looked and sounded like advertisements, they were always non-commercial in nature and never included corporate brands of food or any other goods. Still, videos of 1960s consumer goods ads can be traced under various sources. How is that possible?
Educational programmes for housewives instead of TV ads
That is true. Swedish women have not seen advertisements on TV for a long time. But they could be educated in housekeeping at the cinema. Sweden had a special advertising programme for housewives, Husmors Filmer, which was trademarked at the time. But it was more than just advertising - these programmes by Husmorsfilm AB (founded in 1952) were also intended to educate. They could be compared to Receptář in the Czech Republic.
According to the article “Housewives’ films and the modern housewife…”, it was a regular afternoon free screening in cinemas, designed to showcase the wonders of home technology, modern living and a rational and positive approach to life - washing machines, floor polishes, vacuum cleaners, as well as glassware, textiles and Swedish-style furniture. Advertisements and informative films were combined with entertainment segments featuring famous actors and singers. The advertisements were relatively long (up to 15-20 minutes) and included educational and sometimes humorous stories about the origin and use of the product. The sponsors of these programmes were often companies such as Sunlight or Electrolux, or trading organisations. By the end of the 1960s, the programmes were much shorter and focused more on consumer products such as shampoos and much less on home appliances. The educational element had also disappeared.
Let’s look at an example from 1969:
Video: Semper “Mat för en” – Husmors Filmer (1969)
These advertising films were full of references to laboratories “scientifically” confirming the effects of the products in question, and featured experts who were supposed to convince viewers with the weight of their knowledge. This is something that still works for housewives today - for example, in advertisements for washing powder.
The Swedish media landscape has changed significantly since the late 1980s when television broadcasts could be distributed via cable and satellite television. Households gained access to radio and television, funded by advertising. The launch of TV3 in 1987 can be seen as the starting point of this phase. During the 1990s, commercial channels were established in Sweden, the first of which was TV4, which had advertising only between programmes so as not to contravene Swedish legislation. With the advent of cable and satellite television, the law changed to allow all commercial channels to broadcast advertising under the same conditions.
A spirits advertisement railing against alcohol
Although Swedish advertising is also part of a global system, it has a national character in which humour, creativity and a sense of responsibility play an important role.
Compared to other European countries, Sweden is much more sensitive to any sexist overtones and gender roles of women in advertising. The Swedish advertising industry sends significantly fewer commercial messages with sexual connotations to its consumers compared to other European countries. Sweden, as a Nordic country, has traditionally been seen as a flagship for gender equality.
In addition to gender equality, child protection is a big issue in Sweden, and advertising to children under 12 is banned.
Swedes also have a special relationship with alcohol. They love it and hate it at the same time, and have made its consumption complicated by many rules, both formal and informal. In 1955, the state monopoly alcohol retail chain Systembolaget was established. With about 400 stores, it is the only place in Sweden where you can buy alcohol. It can be quite amusing for foreigners to visit a store that does not promote the sale of its goods but rather makes it difficult for customers. The chain does sell alcohol, but paradoxically, it impressively promotes lower alcohol consumption - and does so in advertising spots. A typical example is the “Nej” TV ad. This is a campaign that can probably only be seen in Sweden.
Video: Systembolaget – Nej
Swedish in every way
National pride is another of the elements that can be seen in Swedish advertisements. For example, the Rekorderlig brand has launched a campaign promoting Swedish cider. The 20-second spot pays homage to everything Swedish - from authentic rural scenery to traditional folk dress to “kulning” - an ancient kind of grazing call.
Video: Rekorderlig – Be a Little Fruktig
Swedish creativity scores
Swedish advertising is internationally renowned for its extraordinary creativity and has repeatedly won top awards, for example at the Cannes Lions, the world festival of creativity.
The Swedes took home two Silver Lions in the prestigious Film category. The first Silver Lion was awarded to “The Cheap Driver”, an advertisement for the ST1 brand promoting unmanned petrol stations (BLECK Stockholm).
The second Silver Lion went to Oatly for its “Normalize It!” ad for an oat drink (B-Reel Films, Stockholm / Papaya Films Warsaw / POM Pictures Gothenburg). The advertisement aims to increase the consumption of plant-based milk variants among school children.
Video: Oatly – Normalize It (EU School Milk Scheme)
Swedish advertising soap opera
An undeniably interesting fact is that Sweden has the longest-running TV advertising series in the world. The first episode of this advertising mini-soap opera was broadcast in 2001. The advertising series concerns the large Swedish supermarket chain Ica. Everything revolves around a fictional supermarket and its employees. Each episode highlights special offers that are currently available. The plots involve public holidays, new employees and experiences that you just usually do not see in Sweden, such as when the store employees have to run away after someone opens a can of fermented herring, or when they grill inside because it is raining outside. The Ica ads have earned an entry in the Guinness World Records as the longest-running advertising series of all time. The adverts have featured celebrities not only from Sweden but also from overseas, including popular singer and actress Lill Babs, Eurovision hero Måns Zelmerlöw and British chef Jamie Oliver.
The filming of this advertising soap opera takes place in Gustavsberg. It is filmed five times a year, with each episode taking two days to film. Approximately 35 films are made each year. More than 500 advertising episodes have been broadcast so far.
Why is this series so successful? It builds on storytelling and humour, and the advertising often has a funny twist. Even the commercial message is funny - the creators have managed to take product placement to the point of absurdity.
Video: ICA – Jamie Olivier
Ikea crossing boundaries
You cannot describe Swedish advertising without looking at IKEA’s ads, which have long been among the most striking. When Spike Jonze made the quirky “Lamp” ad for Ikea in 2002, he probably had no idea it would become a modern advertising classic. The ad, from creative agency Cirspin Porter + Bogusky, has won every possible award in the industry, including the Cannes Lions Grand Prix and the Grand Lio.
Video: IKEA – Lamp Spike Jonze (2002 and 2018)
The genius of the ad was to establish an emotional relationship between the viewer and the lamp and then to fade it away when actor Jonas Fornander, with a Swedish accent, says: “Many of you feel bad about this lamp. That is because you are crazy. It has no feelings. And the new one is much better.”
IKEA often chooses to cross boundaries in its advertising, but it does not just provoke for the sake of it. The underlying message, which tends to be inclusive and universal, also sometimes challenges tradition and convention. Or it draws attention to social issues, such as the ‘safe home’ advert and domestic violence solutions that have resonated through IKEA communications in various modifications for the past three years:
Video: IKEA – Any home should be a safe place (2020)
Volvo as a fountain of fresh advertising
The Swedish car manufacturer Volvo’s ads have always been among the top. From their earliest days, they have been funny, bold and sometimes sharp. And when it comes to novelty, they are still at the top today. Whether they are betting on celebrities like Jean-Claude Van Damme performing side splits between two reversing trucks to the sound of Enya’s Only Time, or unprecedented stunts like four trucks on top of each other in a 2020 ad.
Video: Volvo Trucks – The Epic Split feat. Van Damme (2013)
In 2022, an almost bizarre TV spot depicting two trucks in love caught the eye. In the ad, Volvo wanted to highlight the driveability and low fuel consumption of its Volvo FH.
Video: Volvo Trucks – A Love Story (2022)
Swedish master of humour Roy Andersson
It would be unfair if we did not mention a Swedish personality who has an irreplaceable position in TV advertising. Roy Andersson has made more than 400 well-conceived ads for a variety of products and brands, including Citroën and Air France, and has won the admiration of his compatriot Ingmar Bergman and numerous awards. Many of them are miniature comedy gems, and almost all of them reveal the gradual but distinct evolution of Andersson’s black comedy vision. Andersson, famous for his static camera, finds plenty of room for Swedish darkness in ads, as well as a touch of mischief and specific Nordic humour. The latter is reflected, for example, in a spot for Bavarian beer in which two sullen Swedes go upstairs to complain about the party music in the apartment above them and end up joining the revellers in leather pants. Roy Andersson’s parade of TV ads in the cut below shows better than any other selection how specific advertising can be in this northern European country:
Video: All Commercials by Roy Andersson
Some statistics in conclusion
- In 2021, TV advertising expenditure in Sweden was approximately SEK 5.56 billion. This was an increase from the previous year when spending was below SEK 5 billion.
- The most popular TV channel in Sweden is the private TV4 station. In 2022, its viewership share was 26 percent. The public broadcaster SVT1 came second with a 24.5 per cent share of the audience.
- Top five advertisers in Q1 2022: Procter & Gamble, Bauhaus, Tele2, McDonalds, and Bet365.
Where do we go next?
Awaiting us is the country that boasts the longest TV advertisement ever. On 8 December 2018, Old Spice aired a 14-hour ad on the Brazilian TV station Woohoo. The deodorant maker seemed to think that Brazilians really needed some serious education. We will find out soon enough if that is true. Pack your bags and practise the samba steps. We will be on our way in a few days!
