After all, the marketer's unease with its advertising agency and its move to shift its brief in-house isn't a signal that it's turning its back on creativity.
It's rather the upshot of its aggravation with ad agencies who, driven by ambition to create work that's recognised by their peers, detract from the grittier reality of focusing on the brand and its business.
For Ikea, like many clients, it's an issue of accountability at a time when advertisers are having to be more prudent with their marketing dollars, and less about recognition at award shows.
As Ikea's marketing communications manager Angeline Tan put it, "Awards are a validation for the agencies from their peers ... Our customers don't come into the store because we've got a gold Lion or the Gong - if they even know what those are".
Indeed, for Ikea, if a campaign's done its job - enhanced the brand and generated sales - then it's a job well done by all. If the campaign subsequently wins an award, then its another feather in its partner agency's cap.
It would be absurd for clients like Ikea to separate creativity and effectiveness, or to approve concepts where the goal is first and foremost about winning the creative team an award. To maintain competitiveness and top of mind, it's crucial to deliver advertising that's entertaining and informative, but within the context of selling.
There are of course bound to be hits and misses with campaigns. And while Lowe should be no exception, there's an economic imperative.
The question for agencies such as Lowe is that in their aspiration to foster award-winning ads, a necessity to set industry benchmarks, are agencies neglecting the client's business?
Ikea has been one of the great creative campaigners in Singapore, with a reputation for going against convention and for its 'dare to be different' strategy.
It's unlikely that we'll see mundane or uninspiring advertising from the brand in the future, whether its brief stays in-house or not. There are suggestions that the brand, burnt by network agencies, could be heading towards the wave of small, independently-minded and creatively-driven boutiques in Singapore. In making its decision, Ikea will need to strike the balance of commercial creativity, and land an agency partner with sound creative skills, not one that celebrates creativity for creativity's sake.