Sealy’s new Posturepedic line, officially launched at the Las Vegas Market earlier this year, represents a colorful new direction for the flagship bedding line, one that could spark an industrywide sales resurgence.
Scott Thompson, chairman of Somnigroup International, Sealy’s parent, believes the widely distributed flagship Sealy line could lead a bedding recovery this year as the industry seeks to shake off three years of sales declines, an unprecedented downturn.
Here are five key takeaways on the new line, now on most retailers’ floors across the country as the critical summer selling season begins:
One: It’s a whole new line. This is not just a cosmetic makeover. Tempur Sealy officials say this is a complete revamping of the line, bringing the biggest changes to the line that it’s seen in more than two decades. Thompson, bullish on the prospects for the new line, calls this “a significant reimagining of the Posturepedic product branding and marketing,” with new coil technology, a differentiated selling story, a clear value proposition and compelling step-up stories. The line is the result of a multiyear research and development effort that showcases the company’s ability to bring innovative products to the marketplace, officials say.
Two: It introduces a new coil, PrecisionFit. New coils are a big deal in the bedding industry, where established designs enjoy long life cycles and see widespread use. The new Posturepedic line is built around a brand-new encased coil developed by Tempur Sealy’s in-house research and development team, headquartered at the company’s campus in Archdale, North Carolina.
The exclusive, patent-pending coils are designed to adapt to the sleeper’s unique size and shape to help maintain natural body alignment, which Sealy says is a key to avoiding the stiffness and soreness that many people experience when they wake up. The top of the coil delivers conforming support, while the level of support increases as pressure is applied to the coil, Sealy officials say, adding that the new mattresses feel more comfortable and supportive.
The PrecisionFit coils are in all of the mattresses in the line. Coil counts start at 736 for a queen-sized mattress in the starting level, move to 966 in the step-up line and top out at 1,066 for the mattresses in the top two levels in the four-level collection.
Three: It strikes a patriotic note. What can be more all-American than a red, white and blue lineup? That color scheme “never goes out of style,” says Josh Fenner, Sealy’s director of marketing, who helped develop the new line.
Sealy drew inspiration from “timeless classics” in furniture and fashion trends, including colors in denim wear and athletic wear that are popular these days. The blues in the line set a strong color direction, while the red detailing in the line adds an interesting accent color. Posturepedic’s previous color scheme featured more neutral colors.
Four: It could lift bedding sales across the industry. Thompson says the new Posturepedic line and the marketing firepower that will accompany it will help the company work “to ignite growth in the U.S. bedding market, where Sealy is the largest brand.” The line targets entry-level to mid-level price points, “where industry volumes have been weak for the last few years,” he adds. Boosting business at those price points, which account for much of the industry’s volume, would obviously provide a substantial boost to the industry.
Given the broad reach of the Posturepedic line, one of the industry’s most widely distributed brands, success with that line would be a significant benefit for retailers across the country. And Sealy’s push to boost that brand with marketing and advertising initiatives would likely help spark more interest in the bedding category overall, a development that would be helpful to bedding producers and retailers alike.
Five: Sealy is making a major push to market the line. The top-of-the-funnel campaign, designed to reinforce “the Sealy Posturepedic difference,” is designed to drive excitement to the company’s largest brand. The messaging will be amplified by an all-new in-store Sealy Posturepedic experience, one that will be strengthened with updated in-store materials and training programs.
The national advertising campaign is launching on Memorial Day.
A key message of the marketing push will be that the new Posturepedic line will deliver superior support, helping consumers reduce what Sealy is calling “Bed Aches,” the stiffness and soreness that many sleepers experience when they wake up. Those problems usually result from sleeping on a mattress that does not properly support the body, Sealy officials say.
