L&P to debut 'The Virgin Mattress' Webisodes
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, April 17, 2010
CARTHAGE, Mo. —
Coming to a social medium near you: “The Virgin Mattress.”
That's the name of a series of online Webisodes that will provide, their creators promise, “an uncensored look” at an engaged couple shopping for their first mattress.
Leggett & Platt, a 127-year-old mainstay in the bedding industry, is launching the aggressive social media campaign to connect with its customers and consumers. As part of the introduction of VertiCoil Edge, a new innerspring available at a value price point, the company is creating a series of Webisodes, or short Internet video episodes, to showcase and humanize the process of purchasing a new mattress.
L&P will show a sneak peek at “The Virgin Mattress” at a cocktail party on May 5 during Furniture/Today's Bedding Conference, which is set for May 5-7 at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, Fla. L&P is sponsoring the party.
“There are so many industry leaders who attend the Furniture/Today Bedding Conference, and we can't wait to share with them what we're doing to launch VertiCoil Edge,” said Mark Quinn, group executive vice president of marketing for Leggett & Platt's Bedding Group. “We have exciting plans to roll out the red carpet and unveil the Webisodes at the cocktail party.”
“The Virgin Mattress” series features a fictional, engaged couple trying to purchase their first mattress together. Quinn said the videos offer an uncensored look at all aspects of the couple's life.
The campaign represents a first for Leggett & Platt, as it uses an aggressive combination of new media to connect with not only their trade customers but also directly with consumers, L&P officials said.
“To engage consumers, we knew we had to stand out,” said Quinn. “The videos may be racier than what we're used to as an industry; however, they're not any different than what you see on prime time television. 'The Virgin Mattress' is real, it's fun, and it has the potential to be viral with consumers.”
Leggett & Platt will be supporting the Webisodes through a campaign microsite, Flickr, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. Consumers will have a chance to win their own virgin mattress through a contest hosted on the microsite. There is also a Virgin Mattress iPhone app in the works.
“Our goal is to make 'The Virgin Mattress' series one of the most robust, engaging Webisode experiences on the Internet,” said Quinn. “Each character will live and breathe outside the videos, on our microsite and through social media.”
The Webisodes will go live to consumers on www.TheVirginMattress.com on May 6.
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