ISPA selects Leo Burnett for new bedding marketing campaign

Will promote sleep, health and better quality of life

Staff Staff -- Furniture Today, August 27, 2008

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The International Sleep Products Assn. has selected Leo Burnett USA to help create a national marketing campaign designed to encourage consumers to better appreciate the role mattresses play in promoting sleep, health and a better quality of life.

"Sleep deprivation in our country is reaching epidemic levels, affecting every aspect of our lives," said ISPA President Dick Doyle. "ISPA is uniquely positioned to provide consumers with valuable information on the vital role new mattresses play in improving the quality of their sleep.

"Overall physical and mental capacity is directly linked to sleep, and mattresses provide the fundamental foundation for a good night's sleep."

Leo Burnett USA will work with ISPA's Marketing Advisory Team and the Better Sleep Council in developing the research and overall campaign elements designed to grow the market for new mattress sales, ISPA said.

ISPA's Marketing Advisory Team includes a cross-section of mattress manufacturers, suppliers and retailers. They include: Pete Bils of Select Comfort, Minneapolis; Tim Oakhill of Simmons; Ed Malechek of Carpenter; Dan Setlak of Tempur-Pedic North America; Kevin Stein of Latex International; Steve Newton of Mattress Discounters, Upper Marlboro, Md.; Terri Stephens of Mattress Giant, Addison, Texas; David Binke of Comfort Solutions by King Koil; and Mike Wilson of The Sleep Train, Citrus Heights, Calif.

Initial funding for the development of the National Marketing Campaign was supplied by Atlanta Attachment, Carpenter, Comfort Solutions by King Koil, Culp, Flexible Foam Products, Hickory Springs, Kingsdown, Lady Americana, Latex International, Leggett and Platt, Natura World, Park Place, Sealy, Select Comfort, Simmons, Therapedic International, Tietex and Wright of Thomasville.

Leo Burnett will be crafting a research-based, multi-faceted marketing campaign designed to expand the market for overall mattress sales. Elements of the plan include: clearly articulating the business strategy, identifying fair and equitable funding mechanisms, establishing a research-based approach to the marketing campaign, and establishing the return on investment proposition that will allow ISPA members the opportunity to determine the value of moving forward to the next step of the campaign, ISPA said.