Trumping the competition: The Donald adds star power
David Perry, Executive Editor -- Furniture Today, January 27, 2008
Just when I was starting to worry about bedding's prospects this year, along comes an incredible, irresistible force to knock down those hurdles of a weak housing market and a lackluster sales climate. Two magical words change everything.
And those two words are ... The Donald. Yes, Donald Trump is riding to our rescue. We can all breathe a big sigh of relief.
I probably shouldn't be joking around like that. Donald, please don't fire me. I'm just giddy with excitement to learn that you are bringing your considerable star power to the mattress industry. Hey, we can use your help.
I am serious when I say that The Donald's partnership with Vera Wang by Serta is good news for the industry. It is great news for Serta, of course. When a Vera Wang by Serta sleep set takes center stage on Feb. 7 on Trump's new "The Celebrity Apprentice" show, Serta will get a primetime (9 p.m. Eastern on NBC) jolt of red-hot, celebrity-fueled publicity.
Serta President Bob Sherman calls it "a fantastic opportunity for our retailers to capitalize on our national exposure and drive their sales." I call it a fantastic opportunity for the mattress industry, too. Primetime talk about mattresses is always welcome.
"The Celebrity Apprentice" makes for great drama. I've been a fan of "The Apprentice" for years, and I can't wait to see how the teams of celebrities, including rock star Gene Simmons, fighter Tito Ortiz, supermodel Carol Alt and actress Marilu Henner, relate to the Vera Wang by Serta bedding.
Serta will be talking about the upcoming show at the Las Vegas Market this week. It might be expecting too much for The Donald himself to drop in, but the force of his personality will be felt in the Serta showroom.
Trump is a powerful businessman, and a powerful brand. And power like that is a useful addition to the marketing portfolio of any bedding company.
There are some other examples at hand. Kathy Ireland's brand power has been a major plus for Therapedic. She has been a fixture at Therapedic parties in Las Vegas, mingling easily and sharing her charm. Jaclyn Smith also has been a regular here in her work for Comfort Solutions. She continues to add her luster to that brand.
So now Kathy and Jaclyn have some company in the mattress star department. Donald Trump can help us sell more beds. Kudos to Serta for partnering with him. Donald, I've got one request for you, if you aren't too busy: Please fire those bad business demons that face our industry.
Contact David Perry at dperry@reedbusiness.com
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