Navigating the Sea of White Rectangles

The Challenge:
Serta is the number two brand behind Sealy and just ahead of Simmons in the bedding category. Therein lies one of the greatest challenges: a business cloaked in sameness. These three major brand names all sound the same and sell products that have much the same appearance and presentation at retail. We call it the sea of white rectangles. It is a difficult retail environment for consumers to shop and for brands to distinguish themselves in. For years the conversation with consumers has centered on price first followed by feature/benefit style selling around arcane references to spring and foam layer technologies. It is important to note women make the vast majority of all mattress purchases. Yet research also reveals their indifference to specsmanship style selling and negative feelings toward a shopping environment that is at best confusing and at worst as intimidating as shopping for a car.

The Solution:
Serta embarked on a development effort to create a new product line that could establish a foothold in the luxury segment where product prices begin above $1000 and profit margins are strongest. Research was conducted among women representing the primary target and a discovery was made: these consumers believe the extra dollars spent on a high end product delivers higher quality rest -- and the payoff for the added cost is found in a better and more productive day. Hence the Perfect Day™ brand became a product line designed for this female audience. The agency created a brand story strategy around Perfect Day called the Serta Energy Triangle™ -- the intersection of better rest, better nutrition and better fitness as a holistic and respectful message about the importance of self-care and how women can achieve a better day. To launch this brand story, the agency brought together a dozen top-level national magazine and web site editors for a three-day retreat at the renowned fitness and adventure destination, the Red Mountain Spa. Expert presenters including NBC TODAY Show and celebrity fitness trainer Kathy Kaehler, introduced editors to the role of better rest, fitness and nutrition in delivering an improved quality of life for women. While there, editors slept on the new Perfect Day mattresses and personally experienced all elements of the Serta Energy Triangle at work.

Results
Introductory editorial coverage for Perfect Day was secured in media targets reaching a combined readership of 93,000,000. More importantly, this campaign represents a category disruption, a distinctive and unique messaging model aimed at speaking to consumers in a new and more relevant way. At its core the Serta Energy Triangle is about helping women improve their lives and lifestyles. And so the product is a hit. Sales have exceeded Sertas expectations. Relevance is the answer to the sea of white rectangles, thus helping drive preference and emotional connections to the Serta brand.