Majors' bedding bets
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, July 28, 2008
LAS VEGAS — Bedding's heavy hitters are betting on new specialty sleep beds to spark sales in the second half of the year.
Sealy has a new latex line, Serta has new Vera Wang specialty beds and Simmons is adding two new specialty beds in its ComforPedic lineup as those majors adjust their product lineups in the midst of a challenging sales year.
But there are also some new innerspring beds as well, with Simmons rolling out its new Beautyrest Studio line of Pocketed Coils, and Comfort Solutions using micro-encased coils in its new Natural Response line.
Sealy is embracing the latex category with its latest specialty sleep introductions. The Sealy PurEmbrace Posturepedic line delivers superior pressure relief and support and eliminates virtually all of the pressure points that cause tossing and turning, Sealy said. It bills the new line as its “most advanced sleep system,” and says the latex conforms to the body while providing pushback support and breathability for a cool and comfortable night's sleep.
Sealy also is telling its dealers about its new national advertising campaign, which recently began with national TV spots. The campaign is based on the insight that many Americans say they are lucky to get six hours of sleep. “If you can only get six, then why not get a better six?” Sealy asks, asserting that its Posturepedic sleep sets deliver a better six hours of sleep.
Serta is creating excitement in Las Vegas with its co-sponsorship with the World Market Center of the Rod Stewart concert that will kick off the opening of the WMC's new Building C on the market's opening day.
That producer is also using the market to launch its “Summer of Serta” theme, emphasizing the steps it is taking to drive retailers' business.
“Our brand has great momentum right now,” said Bob Sherman, Serta's president. “Earlier in the year we had a successful partnership with 'The Celebrity Apprentice.' Currently, we are in the middle of a fully integrated Dare to Compare marketing campaign that includes two new Counting Sheep commercials. Serta is investing more than any other brand in these national programs in order to drive more traffic to our retailers' doors. This is why it is 'The Summer of Serta.' ”
Simmons is showing new conventional and specialty sleep sets. The company aims to spark sales at price points below $1,000 with its new Beautyrest Studio collection, which features 700-plus Pocketed Coils and high-performance comfort foams. And it is introducing two new ComforPedic models, the Capri and the Ariana, retailing at $3,999 and $4,999 respectively. Both beds feature the company's NxG advanced memory foam. The Capri includes a layer of gel for pressure relief and a cooling sensation, while the Ariana bonds the NxG foam to an inner layer of latex.
Comfort Solutions is showing its new Natural Response Mattress collection, which features Ventilex foam, a temperature-regulating foam for cooler sleep in warm weather and warmer sleep in cold weather; a micro-encased, coil-on-coil system; exclusive latex designs; and latex/visco combinations.
“Natural Response from Comfort Solutions is a new approach to luxury bedding,” the company said. “Rather than creating beds to hit predetermined price points, Natural Response simply creates the finest beds possible using the best possible materials. The beds will speak for themselves.”
Another Top 10 producer, International Bedding, is showing two new collections. The Origins collection features latex and memory foam beds, retailing from $1,199 to $4,999. Features of the collection include a five-zone latex core with advanced telescoping technology, horizontal airflow channels, silk fibers, quilted fabrics with Nano technology infused with silver, and fabrics with therapeutic copper, the company said.
International Bedding's Europa collection includes SoftTouch one-sided springs, a zoned, foam-encased encased coil system, ergonomically zoned latex, memory foam, and some covers that include boucle yarns, providing a soft and fluffy texture, according to the company.
Top 10 producer Therapedic is unveiling several new Kathy Ireland models, including beds in the Essentials, Gallery and First Lady lines.
“We are freshening up the Kathy Ireland line,” said Gerry Borreggine, president. “We have new licensees and we are showcasing the direction in which Therapedic is moving. We have high-value lines that offer considerable flexibility to dealers.”
In addition, Therapedic also is testing its I-Care Elite by Therapedic line, which uses a Natural Wave foam construction that reduces pressure points at the shoulders and hips. Latex and visco beds will be offered.
