We are living in a world where business is evolving the advancement in technology has seen companies expand there client base to a global level. This paper will discuss the standardized marketing strategy of IKEA and evaluate the issues surrounding standardized marketing on a global scale by relating it to multinational corporations alike. Using Hofstede’s Culture theory, it will also discuss whether our cultures of the world are becoming similar, or are we seeing a direct reflection of clever marketing. What standardization (and adaption) could be considered to be: the offering of identical product lines at identical prices through identical distribution systems supported by identical promotional programs in several different countries. (Buzzell, 1968 p 103) Although IKEA practice a standardized marketing strategy in some aspects of the marketing mix such as product, price and place they are certainly not entirely standardized when it comes to their promotion strategy, this is evident when looking at the move into China where they were forced to adapt to Chinese cultural differences. IKEA’s target market has always been ‘everyone’ in other countries however the target market was extremely different in China, the main target is women as they are considered the decision makers and were born in the ‘one child policy’ generation. This group was identified as being impulsive, easy to influence and committed to leading foreign consumer brands (Johannson 2009 p. 44). Due to the costs and distances in china, IKEA makes little use of catalogues, which is so central to their marketing elsewhere. IKEA china also offers home assistance in assembling furniture, this represents Chinas anti DIY (do it yourself) culture (Johannson 2009 p. 42). IKEA states that the “…lessons learned in China will stand it in good stead as it expands into other culturally different markets”