Date:
October 8, 2010
To:
Kim Madeleine
From: Eric Zimmerman
Subject: Writing Assignment #2
Product:
Magazine:
Select Comfort's Sleep Number Bed
Good Housekeeping
SWOT Analysis:
Strength -
Weakness -
Opportunity -
Uniqueness: Select Comfort claims to be the only mattress company that
offers an adjustable Sleep Number Setting, “a number between zero and
100 that represents the ideal combination of mattress comfort, firmness
and support for your body, giving you the best night’s sleep possible”
(www.selectcomfort.com). No other mattress can be adjusted like this.
Individuality: Not only is the Sleep Number bed unique in it’s Sleep
Number Setting technology, but it offers the ability to adjust each side of
the bed independently, appealing to couples with different sleeping habits.
Brand Name: This strength is two fold; first, Select Comfort and Sleep
Number are recognizable names that people have typically at least heard
of before; second, both of these names were brilliantly chosen, because
they tell the consumer exactly what it offers…you can select your amount
of comfort when you sleep by adjusting the bed to a specific numerical
setting that correlates to its firmness.
Luxury: As nice as it would be to have a fancy bed like a Sleep Number,
the majority of Americans have been sleeping just fine (relatively so, I
mean they’re alive aren’t they?) on their current beds, and may not feel the
need to switch or “waste money” on something they might deem
unnecessary.
Crowded Market: There are a lot of other mattress companies competing
with Select Comfort, including Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Serta, and Simmons,
to name a few, and even though these companies may not offer an
adjustable mattress, they still promise a better night’s sleep, which is the
consumer’s main concern anyway.
Commonality: Almost every person with a home in the United States
sleeps on some sort of bed or another; therefore there is clearly a large
market of bed users to appeal to.
Popular Pain Relief: According to the American Pain Foundation, “Of all
the different types of aches and pains people experience, back pain is the
most common. A majority of us will experience back pain at some point in
our lives” (www.painfoundation.org). And the Sleep Number bed
specifically claims to help provide relief from back pain, therefore
furthering its appeal to the majority of Americans.
Cultural Individuality: These last few decades have seen a dramatic rise
in the cultural importance of feeling unique and like an individual, and this
mattress offers a specific appeal to be able to individualize one’s comfort
while sleeping. Everybody wants something that is perfect for them. In
Threat -
other words, one size does not fit all.
Price: After comparing prices for mattress companies’ most popular
mattresses, Select Comfort seems to fall right in the middle, with some of
their “simpler” mattresses being a little less expensive than other
companies, but their fancier models appear to be much more expansive for
their competitive market. For example, Select Comfort’s classic series
starts around $1,000, whereas Tempur-Pedic’s classic series starts around
$1,200, but Select Comfort’s innovation series starts at $3,000 while
Tempur-Pedic’s Bellafina bed (“the ultimate choice”) starts at $2,400.
Economy: This is always a sizeable factor when trying to sell any
product or service, and although there are claims that the economy is on its
upturn, people are still all too familiar with the recent economic hardships,
and therefore might not consider a Select Comfort mattress a spending
priority right now, instead saving their money for something else.
Increasing Demands: It seems that every year our society is demanding
more and more from our working class, and that includes less time for
sleeping. This in turn would deter the working class from considering a
comfortable mattress as a worthy investment, especially if it would rarely
be used.
Competitive Analysis:
Direct Competition: -Mattress companies including Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Serta, and Simmons
-Alternate mattress styles including spring/coil and memory foam,
typically offered by the companies listed above
Indirect Competition: -Other furniture companies including Ethan Allen and La-Z-Boy
-Chiropractors
Competitor Benefits: After researching the benefits of both foam mattresses and spring/coil
mattresses, I found a good list that pretty much sums up the advantages of
each competitive mattress type
(http://www.myfoammattress.net/compare/spring-benefits.html):
Memory Foam:
-Relieves pressure and enhances deep sleep by reducing pressure points.
-Conforms precisely to your body, distributes weight, improves circulation
and allows your blood to flow more freely.
-Has the ability to react to body temperature, softening accordingly.
-You don't sink right through a high density memory foam mattress nor do
you risk bottoming out.
-The foam dampens shock and absorbs motion.
-Lifespan of 10-20 years, depending on the manufacturer.
Spring Mattress:
-Good spinal alignment when sleeping on your back
-Good back support for pocket spring models
-Firmness
-It doesn't necessarily need a foundation
-Easy maintenance
Positioning:
Relative Position:
Ad Budgets:
Message:
Media Strategies:
-Cost
Tempur-Pedic = Luxury
Sealy = Doctor recommended health advantages
Serta = Staying young and vital
Simmons = Beauty
Select Comfort = Individual control
Simply based on my personal exposure to these mattress companies, I
have heard of each of them at some point. I am familiar with the
Tempur-Pedic logo, the Sealy “Posturepedic” mattress, the Serta sheep
mascot, and Simmons’ “Beauty Rest” mattress. Therefore, since I was
unable to determine these companies’ specific advertising budgets, I
would argue that they are likely similar, considering that I am not more
familiar with one brand over the other.
Tempur-Pedic: “Welcome to Tempur-Pedic. Welcome to bed.”
Sealy: “Sleeping on a Sealy is like sleeping on a cloud.”
Serta: “The world’s best mattress.”
Simmons: “Sleep better. Feel better.”
I cannot say for sure which media strategies are being employed by each
of these competitors, but I have seen TV ads, heard radio ads, and read
magazine ads at least once for each of these competing companies
Target Audience Breakdown: Sleep Comfort + Good Housekeeping
Segmentation
Variables
Target Audience
Brief Explanation
Gender
Female
Good Housekeeping has a primarily female reader
base, so that’s who should be targeted
Age
25-54
This is the age when people will either start
purchasing their own beds for the first time, or be
looking for new mattress options, plus it also fits into
the G.H. readership
Race
Primarily White
Both the Select Comfort and Good Housekeeping
website feature majority white models on their pages,
thus appealing to a primarily white audience
Life Stage
Adult
A time when one is old enough to own a home, hold
a steady job, and potentially live with a spouse,
which typically coincides with seeking
sleeping/mattress options
Birth Era
Generation X
Although the Sleep Number technology might appeal
a little more to Generation Y, and Good
Housekeeping might reach some Baby Boomers,
Generation X is the most likely consumer for these
products, fitting in with the Age and Life Stage
Household Size
2-4
The Sleep Number bed definitely appeals to couples,
and Good Housekeeping targets parents (specifically
mothers), therefore indicating a family setting of
about 2-4, because lets face it, families with 5 or
more don’t have time to be reading Magazines
Residence
Tenure
Own home
If you’re going to own a nice, fancy bed, it’s likely
that you would first own a home to house that nice,
fancy bed
Marital Status
Married
Again, these appeal to both couples and families
Geographic
Suburban
This is the area where a lot of houses will be found,
making it a good target for Good Housekeeping, and
it is also close enough to Urban for technology and
individualization to still be driving forces behind
consumer behavior
Socioeconomic
Upper Class
Income/Educatio
n
Middle and Lower class citizens are typically more
concerned about necessities, such as owning a bed,
and less concerned about the luxuries of being able to
adjust its firmness
Personality
Gregarious/
Ambitious
Good Housekeeping reaches a very gregarious kind
of audience, and the Sleep Number bed is fitting for
that as well, however, the Sleep Number bed is also
targeted towards people who care enough about their
sleeping habits to be driven to purchase one.
Values (VALS)
Fulfilleds
“These people are mature, comfortable, and reflective
[…] they take personal risks but are averse to social
risks […] looking for durability and value in the
products they purchase” (Applegate, p.13). These
qualities fit in perfectly with the above conditions for
both Sleep Number and Good Housekeeping
consumers
Lifestyle
(MONITOR)
New
Traditionalists
Family oriented, healthy, appreciate technology,
ambitious, and enjoy cooking, decorating, etc.:
These qualities are what connect Sleep Number beds
with Good Housekeeping
USP:
It’s simple, this is a bed where you can literally press a button and adjust the comfort and
firmness of the mattress to meet your personal preferences. And what’s more is that each side
of the bed adjusts independently, which is perfect for when two different people with two
different sleeping habits are sleeping in the same bed. These are unique and important qualities
because better comfort results in a better night’s sleep, which in turn leads to greater daily energy
and less physical pain.
Full-Page Magazine Ad:
HEADLINE:
(See appendix for sample drawing of ad)
This bed is too hard. This bed is too soft. Ahhh, this bed is just right.
That’s because it’s a Sleep Number Bed from Select Comfort.
Graphic Description: Three separate pictures, all with similar background characteristics so that
the background isn’t what attracts attention; it’s the bed in the foreground
that commands it. The first picture is of a little girl with golden locks
wearing a blue/white dress (sound familiar yet?) lying on a spring/coil bed
and the bed not having any give to it, just as if it were a rock. The girl is
lying flat on her back and looks very uncomfortable. The second bed is a
memory foam bed with a giant, girl-size indent in the mattress, as if the
girl was still lying on the bed but had sunk inside (humorous). The third
bed is a Sleep Number bed, and the girl is lying on her side fast asleep
with a look of pure happiness on her face as she cradles the Sleep Number
remote in her hand. Returning to the background for a moment, it would
consist of very home-like features, such as wood flooring, warm-colored
wallpaper, and maybe even a portrait of three bears as a family.
Subhead/Bridge:
One firmness doesn’t fit all. Choose the firmness that’s just right for you
with Select Comfort’s Sleep Number Bed.
Body Copy:
Don’t adjust yourself to a bed that’s too hard or too soft. Make your bed
adjust to you.
A Sleep Number Bed is the only bed with an adjustable Sleep Number
Setting, a number between zero and 100 that represents the ideal
combination of mattress comfort, firmness and support for your body,
giving you the best night’s sleep possible.
This is because the uniquely designed air chambers provide a gentle
cushion of support and is easily adjusted to your personal needs, offering a
comfort setting as unique as you are.
In addition, the Sleep Number Bed is the perfect bed for couples. Each
side of the mattress can be adjusted independently, allowing you and your
partner to individually adjust it to your precise comfort levels.
The Sleep Number Bed goes beyond comfort, it relieves back pain.
While the pressure exerted by springs and metal coils in other mattresses
can cause back pain, numbness and tiredness in the morning, plus lots of
tossing and turning throughout the night, the Sleep Number Bed provides
relief from mattress-induced aches and pains.
In fact, it is even Chiropractor recommended.
Start getting the sleep you deserve. Select your comfort with the Sleep
Number Bed.
Second Graphic:
How It Works: (Taken from website, it’s a good graphic)
Side Caption:
(Also from website, accompanies above graphic)
Sleep Number Bed features:

20-Year Limited Warranty

30-Night In-Home Trial*

Lightweight, Component Design

No-Tool Assembly

Belgian Damask (fabric)

Removable Mattress Cover
Bottom Caption:
*30-Night In-Home Trial
It’s important to choose a mattress that suits your individual needs. And
we want to help make sure that the decision you make is just right.
We invite you to take our 30-Night In-Home Trial offer, where you can
test a Sleep Number mattress in the best place possible: the comfort of
your own home.
End Copy:
Don’t stay in Fairy-tale Land, make your dreams come true with the
mattress that’s just right for you. With over 400 stores nationwide, The
Sleep Number Bed from Select Comfort has changed the lives of over 6
million people, and it can change your life too.
To find your specific Sleep Number Setting or to sign-up for our 30-Night
In-Home Trial, visit our website at www.selectcomfort.com, or contact us
toll-free at 1-888-580-9237.
Third Graphic:
Sleep Number Logo