A Tale of Mattress Marketing |
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Once upon a time (in 2003, actually, when sales of memory foam mattresses had begun to peak), a major mattress manufacturer (we’ll call them “Kudon”), came up with a clever marketing idea. They would use a “pressure map” to sell more memory foam mattresses to consumers. Pressure mapping involves using sensors to measure the amount of pressure between two contacting objects. The most common use of the technology is in designing wheelchair seats, because pressure sores can be a painful problem for chair users. Pressure sensors can be placed in pads of varying sizes, and one day Kudon realized that they could use this same technology to measure pressure areas in mattresses. It’s visually interesting to do, because you can graphically show where more pressure is exerted in one color (usually red), and where there is less, in another (usually blue). Kudon figured out that they could display four memory foam mattresses in a showroom with four pressure pads draped over them. A couple could lie down each of the four mattresses. The mattress that showed the most blue, meaning the least pressure, would be the best pressure-relieving mattress for them. The resulting images from the different mattresses were displayed on a big computer screen. The way these mattresses were made was actually quite simple. The same sheet of memory foam was laminated, or glued, on top of four different pieces of foam beneath—each layer of support foam of a different firmness. This made the construction of the mattresses very inexpensive because it required only one kind of memory foam, and four grades of cheap foam beneath. The covers were very attractive, though. Kudon was very successful at selling this paradigm to couples, based on the idea that “science” would help them figure out which mattress would suit them best. The mattresses were labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4 for the different levels of firmness. If one partner needed a “3” and the other needed a “1”, then the computer told them they needed a 2 because that was their average. Certainly that’s one solution, but how inadequate for both people! Basically, Kudon was saying that both people should settle for a mattress that even their company’s computer didn’t think was best for them. Wouldn’t it be better to make two different-firmness sides within one cover? We put a man on the moon 40 years ago, but most companies still require two people, no matter how different their needs, to have the same mattress – edge to edge. Progressive mattress companies, particularly some natural latex mattress manufacturers, offer mattresses with sides that can feel very different. Do your research when it comes to choosing an alternative. You’ll be pleasantly surprised. |
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