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BSC: It's OK to go to sleep

By David Perry -- Furniture Today, March 3, 2002

Alexandria, Va. — The Better Sleep Council, the consumer education arm of the mattress industry, has a simple-sounding but powerful message for consumers: It's OK to go to sleep.Analyzing the results of extensive consumer research it has conducted, the BSC found that some consumers view sleep as "non-productive downtime," said Gerry Borreggine, the bedding retailer who serves as president of the BSC.

"It's actually the opposite," said Borreggine, the owner of 40 Winks, based in West Berlin, N.J. "Sleep is not downtime; it's extremely productive time. Not only is it OK to sleep, it's actually a good thing, for our productivity, our mood and even our psyche."

If consumers place more value on the importance of sleep, that is a good thing for the bedding industry, he said. "Elevating the status of sleep as an event will elevate the sleep products that go along with it."

The BSC's spokesperson, Mary LoVerde, "is very eloquent" on this issue, he said, adding that the BSC will continue to rely on research to sharpen its messages to consumers.

"We've become a research-driven organization," he said. "Everything we do is based on scientific research that provides us sound directions to take."

This year the BSC is introducing a couple of new marketing emphases as it seeks to spread the gospel of better sleep. It is targeting mattress messages to seniors and to the rapidly growing Hispanic community.

"The fact that both audiences have solid buying power and have not been targeted in the past makes this a solid strategy going forward with BSC messages," said Andrea Herman, the BSC's executive director.

Hispanics are the fastest-growing minority population in the United States. The more than 33 million Hispanics in the United States command an estimated buying power of $450 billion.

"As we explore potential media opportunities in the Hispanic market, we will begin by translating all media materials released during 2002 ... for release on a Hispanic news distribution service," Herman said.

Seniors also offer a major marketing opportunity for the BSC: Americans aged 50 and over control 70% of the total net worth in the United States, make 25% of all consumer purchases, and have the most discretionary income.

"During 2002, we will begin targeting this population by reaching out to the publications they read, such as My Generation, the new American Assn. of Retired Persons publication, as well as to mainstream publications that skew toward an older population of women," Herman said. "We also will target online media, since more than 14 million Americans over age 50 are online."

In addition to reaching out to these two new markets, the BSC's other strategies for this year are to continue applying consumer research and to build on existing program successes.

It will do that by stressing several themes with consumers:

Give yourself "permission" to go to bed.
Don't settle for less than perfect sleep.
Better sleep begins with your mattress.
Take the "rest test" when shopping for a mattress: 1) think about your needs; 2) plan enough time to try out mattresses; 3) wear comfortable clothes; and 4) shop with your partner.

As it goes about its work this year, the BSC plans to stick with winning elements of its program.

The BSC's public relations program is again being developed in partnership with Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide.

Primarily conducted through the media, the PR campaign highlights the connection between the mattress experience and various aspects of consumers' lives.

A key to this part of the program is the Media Desk, a year-round effort of initiating contact with the media, quickly responding to media inquiries, and correcting misinformation about mattresses.

The Media Desk gives reporters, editors and producers story ideas and the information they need to complete mattress stories.

Print media kits are an effective way to generate placements in magazines and newspapers, as well as online, according to the BSC. "We will develop a media kit for release in March that will focus on the connection between stress and sleep, and will provide consumers with ideas on how to balance their lives and get a good night's sleep at the same time," Herman said.

The BSC has done a good job of getting its messages out in the nation's key media markets. In 2000, BSC messages were carried in 42 of the top 50 U.S. media markets. In the first nine months of 2001, the BSC had already gotten its messages out in 44 of the top 50 media markets.

And the message is getting out accurately, BSC officials note. More than 25% of all media placements last year were verbatim from various BSC releases.

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