posted August 8, 2019It wouldn’t be summer market if we didn’t...

posted August 8, 2019

It wouldn’t be summer market if we didn’t start out our recap by mentioning scorching temperatures and “slower-than-anticipated”
foot traffic. It’s become a pattern. Thankfully, this more laid-back setting once again served as the perfect backdrop for longer,
more meaningful conversations—and even though the market was short on foot traffic, it wasn’t short on enthusiasm. Wandering
about the World Market Center, our team was able to sit down with a number of manufacturers and really dive deeper into the
state of the industry and where it’s heading.

Across the board, we sensed anxiety about the continually shifting nature of the industry. With Tempur-Sealy returning to Mattress
Firm, there is plenty of uncertainty about how the revived relationship will play out in the months and years to come—and the impact
it will have on the industry at large. In some ways, it could have a positive effect: when two of the biggest players team up, it can
elevate and amplify the conversation farther and wider. But at the time same, how will the newly mended partnership impact current
placements on retail floors—at Mattress Firm in particular, but across all mattress showrooms as well?

This market, we were impressed by the wide variety of creative branding, marketing and styling updates across many of the different
product categories. But even more so, it was the stories of how these looks came to be that really stood out to us.


Serta surprised everyone this market by unveiling a new update to its iComfort collection. Coming just eight months after its last
debut, this refreshed line-up is Serta Simmons Bedding’s most accelerated product launch in recent years. While the company’s
new corporate structure allowed for the expedited development, that doesn’t mean it was hastily put together. In fact, Serta first
invested in comprehensive consumer segmentation research, delving deeper into who is buying the iComfort brand and what
they are looking for. Doing so helped them zero in on cooling and pressure relief as the primary features. Additionally, these
insights also informed the aesthetics of the line, including the snowflake iconography used to visually communicate the step-up
program and the more modern color-blocking look of the POP headboards.

With a clear emphasis on features that consumers can easily see and understand, the summer market also introduced numerous
new innovations in cooling. From MLILY’s Power Breeze Sleep System—a mattress made of breathable material atop a power-base
with built in fans—to the straightforward step-up story inherent to Serta’s iComfort relaunch to the new AURIA climate controlled
sleep system from Sleep Research Technologies, cooling is more top of mind than ever—and rightfully so. Sleep temperature
is another huge factor impacting how individuals sleep.

Because our temperatures drop in order to initiate sleep, a cool environment—ideally 60-67º F—can speed the process and
help us get sleepier faster. While in the past cooling could feel like a mystical or overly complicated feature with varying types
of phase change materials in the mix, many of the innovations we saw at market simplified the benefit, making it easier for a
retailer to explain and simpler for a consumer to understand. Particularly, the majority of innovations we saw offered more
mechanical applications.

Developed with the guidance of in-depth research and testing, Serta’s iComfort relaunch is the first significant innovation
under new leadership. Featuring a memory foam layer infused with carbon fiber for cooling as well as strength and resiliency,
the iComfort system channels heat away from the body and provides exceptional strength for back and neck support. With a
very clear step up story, increases in cooling power are indicated by distinctive snowflake icons on each model. The relaunch
will be fully rolled-out in October.

At the same time, there is some skepticism about bringing technology into the bedroom. Is data collection secure? Does sleep
data tracking actually impede our ability to sleep well or does it help us improve? Sleep technology companies like ReST, Tempur-Pedic
and iOBED by King Koil all address these burgeoning concerns as consumers weigh the benefits of smart sleep innovation and
eagerly seek the benefits they can provide.

Combined with adaptive Tempur-Pedic mattresses, the TEMPUR-Ergo Smart Base creates an integrated system that offers personalized
sleep coaching and a foundation that automatically responds to your needs. Using a pair of sleep monitoring sensors to capture data,
without the use of either microphones or cameras, this secure and anonymous data collection allows users to opt-out, or even temporarily
pause their sleep tracking at any time. When snoring is detected, the Tempur-Pedic Sleeptracker automatically adjusts the smart base
to raise or lower the sleeper’s head to a position that may reduce snoring. The TEMPUR-Ergo Smart Base Collection consists of two
options and will be first available at TEMPUR-PEDIC Stores across North America in August 2019, with expanded retail availability
planned for later this year and in 2020.

https://sleepretailer.com/market-trends/trends-from-las-vegas-market-summer-2019/