the challenge.
Mattress Firm’s current brand purpose is to be “America’s trusted authority on sleep”. Their business model has always been simple and effective, but fails to meet the needs and expectations of consumers as much as their competitors are able to. With the introduction of contemporary DTC mattress brands, how can Mattress Firm compete?
history.
Mattress Firm opened its doors in 1986 as the first company allowing people to lay on mattresses inside the store, dedicated to fitting customers to the perfect mattress for them. They established themselves as a
neighborly,
sage,
trailblazer.
research.
These characteristics have not translated to present-day.
We analyzed their current brand identity and explored current brand perceptions and general sleep attitudes through in-depth customer journeys in order to understand how we could better position Mattress Firm within the industry. The brand is able to maintain a light-hearted tone in its advertising and social media, and the community remains at the heart of what they do. However, they fall short in their experience.
“The atmosphere does not do justice to their expertise.”
— Customer, age 23
competitive arena.
This Cartesian model illustrates where brands fall in terms of a DTC vs brick-and-mortar model, organized by premium versus low-tier sleep offerings. There is notable whitespace in the premium brick-and-mortar sector that Mattress Firm is primed to fill.
findings.
Through these explorations, we found that Mattress Firm’s brick-and-mortar experience and brand communication create a significant disconnect with consumers. In tandem with their lackluster, brutalist interiors, their online presence notably lacks a consistent visual language.
The brand who was once a neighborly, sage, trailblazer has now become:
witty, yet
drab
and uncoordinated.
Current brand efforts to communicate why they are the ultimate sleep destination are simply not penetrating. Mattress Firm must evolve by building a more clear and cohesive identity, as well as pinpointing a specific target audience to resonate with.
Our goal was not for Mattress Firm to simply try to compete with newer DTC brands, but rather to allow them to lean into and completely reimagine the individualized, experiential nature of the brand that was once novel in the arena.
new brand promise.
The Mattress Firm team prides ourselves on not just knowing mattresses, but knowing our customers. We understand that getting a good night's sleep can be difficult, but your sleep health and wellness should never take a back seat. Sleep is more than just a great mattress: it's an experience. We are dedicated to helping you build your personal sleep haven, wherever it may be!
This new brand promise will act as the spark that Mattress Firm needs to transform into the
empathetic,
vivacious,
savant
it has the potential to be — one that people trust with getting their best night's sleep.
audience.
With a new, clearer message for the brand, who is primed to receive it?
American millennials are now entering their prime nesting years, discovering the value in dedicating time and money to their personal wellness as a result of the pandemic. We want Mattress Firm to be the brand chosen to accompany young adults as they settle into these significant years, now and into the future.
activations.
in-store experience.
The new in-store experience will help communicate to their audience that Mattress Firm is not just a place to buy a mattress, but a sleep destination for finding their most restful night’s sleep.
A layout showcasing new offerings for cultivating a more holistic sleep experience, and private sleep pods for trying out mattresses in comfort rather than feeling vulnerable in doing so out in the open.
online experience.
The newly designed website will display a seamless marrying of both the Mattress Firm website and sister-site, Sleep.com. Additionally, a new color palette will communicate comfort, while bringing a fresh look to the monotone mattress landscape. Inspired by the sunrise after a restful night’s sleep, calming deep blues will be accompanied by vibrant pops of peach, orange, and magenta.
sleep accessories.
Mattress Firm has always offered sleep accessories in addition to their mattress offerings, so we updated them to coincide with the new identity, along with a few new items recommended for consumers based on their sleep profile from the Sleep Experts.
Fitbit partnership.
We identified potential for a future activation through a partnership with Fitbit, implementing biological and sleep behavioral tracking data to store customer sleep profiles and keep track of sleep health.
But, what if we took Mattress Firm’s evolution even further?
a new name.
This new direction will resonate with the audience and allow Mattress Firm to successfully fulfill their purpose.
Yet, we noticed that the name creates a disconnect — “Mattress Firm” doesn’t associate well with a new sleep haven vision. It pigeon-holes them into a product category and does not speak to the goals of the brand. They need a name that emphasizes the importance of being well-rested for an overall better lifestyle, and that expresses this is the company to help make that happen. A name change will communicate the brand’s promise of helping consumers build their personal sleep haven and dedication to delivering the best night of sleep they've ever had.
Mattress Firm
Doze.
Why Doze? This name is all-encompassing of a sleep haven, communicating rest and ease…
and Mattress Firm already owns the naming rights.
How do we envision Doze coming to life?
