Branding matters. This is nowhere more true than at the bedding Industry, in which a futon mattress' name is its own fortune. Considering that"share of mind would be share of market," bedding manufacturers are redoubling their efforts to build brand awareness with a variety of tactics: humor, references into the firm's longevity, and allure to health awareness among them.

In the"longevity" department, to observe the half century Mark Sealy, of its lineup kicked off the advertising because of its Golden Anniversary Collection. The collection represents a new product lineup for Sealy; flooring samples started shipping in May. Based on vice president of marketing and sales, Dave McIlquham, the formal introduction for its Golden Anniversary Collection is set for July 4 weekend, which kicks off the futon mattress selling interval that runs through Labor Day.

"That is the total Focus of the summer promotional Program on Posturepedic," McIlquham said.

"It's a brand new product, there is a lot of point of sale Material; everything is centered around Posturepedic's anniversary. We have gotten tremendous placement on the product, which we anticipated. The outcomes so far are fulfilling our expectations. I think we will exceed our sales plan. I think our retailers are excited, too."

Sealy has dreamed up a range of devices, including a Golden 50th anniversary emblem, balloons, black and gold streamers, star cascades, buttons, banners, posters, ceiling danglers and mattress end cards.

Serta is in the midst of a year Most of it allowed for tv commercials. Its target market is girls in the 25 to 54 age range, with an increasing emphasis on the pre existing old age section that is currently making significant purchases and has disposable income.

"A majority of our dollars are spent on TV since we're Trying to construct our reach and also to build awareness and preference to our new," said Susan Ebaugh, Serta's vice president of advertising. "TV is still the most cost effective, highest reach moderate, so we do a big television buy."

Serta's two dreamlike 30 second commercials run on three important Networks in prime time programming slots: Touched by an Angel, Home Improvement, 3rd Rock from the Sun and Chicago Hope. Reveals with Serta commercials include Oprah, General Jeopardy and Hospital. Serta also conducts commercials on Lifetime, HGTV and A&E cable stations. Serta was a host of this year's Academy Awards, its fifth year of advertising on a show that reaches over 100 million viewers. For the Oscars, commemorative cushions were provided by Serta for lovers seated on bleachers.

Television does not reach everyone, therefore Serta runs four webpage Inserts in magazines targeted. Architectural Digest, House & Garden, Country Home, Bon Appetit, Travel & Leisure and Food & Wine carry the advertisements.

"Our approach for printing in 1999 was what we're calling a ' strategy living. Women, our principal target market, aren't only reading books which involve home furnishings," Ebaugh said. "We did a purchase across several magazine classes which deal with good living."

Serta is currently in its third season of underwriting applications on National Public Radio, such as All Things Considered, Morning Edition and Fresh Air. Serta is set as a sponsor with a 10 minute identification. "We've tended to buy the best displays," Ebaugh said. "NPR allows us to reach an even higher end audience"

Simmons Co. was leaning heavily on its own Leap of Faith late last year tv commercial, which it launched nationally. The taped section is a commercial within a commercial. It strengthens Simmons' message that movement does not transfer across the futon mattress to disturb a bedmate, as a result of its Beautyrest line's pocketed coils.

From the commercial that was new, a couple in bed is observed watching the Previous Simmons TV commercial where a man drops a ball on the futon mattress to verify that bowling pins won't be made by the impact drop down. Inspired to test his futon mattress, the husband climbs atop the TV and prepares to leap onto the bed. His wife warns him that they"do not possess a Simmons Beautyrest," but he dismisses her and jumps anyway, catapulting her to the air. Getting the most comfortable futon mattress to sleep on and you no longer worry about the quality of your sleep.

"If you've seen it 10 times, you still chuckle," stated Don Hofmann. "That is the response we get from people. But as funny as it is, there is a carefully thought out plan behind it."

To wit: The business is meant to bring the concept of By strengthening the preceding commercial simmons home. People did not associate or their sleeping relaxation and the ball analogy, according to Hofmann. "It was a neat, novel apparatus," Hofmann said. "But people never ceased to say,'Wow, that's me!' What we're trying to convey to customers is that, as you see that bowling ball business, think about it. That is you, lying in bed, wondering whether a partner's tossing and turning will probably disturb you."

Simmons utilizes these advertisements to support point of purchase Print advertising, displays and other triggers that remind users of the commercials. "We take that picture and set it in what we do so that our retailers utilize it also," Hofmann said. Simmons refers to the multimedia campaign as the"points of signature" concept. The reason a person stores at a specific location and buys certain brands isn't simply because of the advertising but due to all the different places where the consumer sees that brand, including the signs on delivery trucks, according to Hofmann. "These things make an impression. They raise the amount of points of touch."



Simmons takes in promoting its Power Sleep model of Beautyrest Another tack. This mattress, introduced earlier this year, is called after the title of the best selling book by James B. Maas, a college professor who has researched the value of a fantastic night's sleep and also the consequences of not getting it.

Simmons delivered Maas out on a media tour that included interviews On radio and tv and in magazines and newspapers. It involved talking to retailers, for example Gallery Furniture and Art Van. ( In August, Maas is scheduled to visit Nebraska Furniture Mart to provide interviews, a lecture and sign books. ) "That is a way to bring focus on the importance of undisturbed sleep," Hofmann said. "If we get the message out that being disrupted in your sleep is a terrible thing, after which you find a commercial that says that this mattress won't disrupt your sleep, you can place one and one together."

Maas does not overtly pitch the Simmons product through his Faculties, according to Hofmann.

Spring Air including Whopper, Co.'s TV commercial that the Kodiak Endure, has drawn kudos from consumers and increased brand awareness, based on senior vice president Larry McKay, sales and marketing. The 30 second bear commercial features Whopper, in Goldilocks fashion, moving from bed to bed in a home until he finds out a futon mattress, a Spring Air, that is"just perfect."

A 20 variant drives home the point that is Exact Same but allows a 10 window to get a local slant. Since the bear picture becomes promoted 28, TV character Vanna White, who has been spokeswoman for Spring Air since the, is being phased out. The commercial is the basis of Spring Air's $5 million television campaign. "We are doing our bear firm in a variety of ways," he explained. The Spring Air licensee from the Tampa, Fla., area, as an instance, is using only the 30 second commercial in a bid to market branding from the minds of consumers from the Fort Myers, Orlando, Daytona, Miami and Jacksonville markets.

But the Greensboro, N.C., licensee is taking a completely Different approach. By conducting a 30 second spot featuring a film clip from Spring Air followed by a 10 second dealer 41,, the marketing budget for that geographic area also has retailers in a branding campaign to improve business. McKay stated,"We customize that 10 second spot with the merchant to get his message across." The merchants comprise the Famous Barr department store chain, Rockaway Bedding Centers, HomeLife, J.C. Penney, Breuners Home Furnishings and Tema Furniture, a modern furniture store in Albuquerque, N.M.

Jordan's Furniture, a retailer of Spring Air Products, failed its own variant of the bear commercial, which included the Tatelman brothers.

Most, but not all, of the Spring Air campaign has been directed To tv. R.C. Willey, the Utah based retailer, ran a print ad of this Spring Air bear in Parade, an add in the Sunday paper, in the spring.

Kingsdown Inc. was marching to, when it comes to promotions A drummer. "Kingsdown does not think in a lot of consumer advertising," said Lee Sinclair, marketing manager for Kingsdown. "We think more in sales coaching, because you're able to spend a hell of a good deal of money on advertisements and all you are creating is your title. We'd rather put that money into merchandise."

The People's Pharmacy, a call show is underwritten by the company On National Public Radio that's broadcast weekly with Terry and Joe Graedon. The Graedons field calls regarding medications and herbal remedies. "The listeners are already considering their wellbeing," said Sinclair. "Kingsdown isn't only exposing itself into a health alert audience but one which is well educated and more wealthy and eager to experiment with improvements in their way of life," she added. "That is actually the Kingsdown demographic."

Consumers are also targeted by kingsdown through print advertisements in the bridal Books Dolce Vita and Elegant Bride. "We all know the bridal marketplace is an older marketplace today," Sinclair said. "Generally the few is in the stage of life in which they are all set to generate an investment in their sleep system"

King Koil does no nationwide radio or television commercials But has been sending four color programs to its dealers for Distribution through the email or as inserts. The Majority of the Promotional efforts rest in the local level, based on vice, Michael Kehnast President of sales and advertising.

2015?!

Will you be fitting a Flux Capacitor on your AT?