Authentic brand storytelling with technology as the differentiator to drive brand demand

By: Angela Gearhart, Sr. Director Retail and Brand Experience, Sleep Number

Angela Gearhart, Sr. Director Retail and Brand Experience, Sleep Number

Today’s consumer is living a digital, connected life and appreciates brands that integrate technology while maintaining a personal touch. In addition, they want a shopping experience that is simple and intuitive, with products that add value to their lives. Consumers demand ease and convenience and expect a shopping experience to be effortless, regardless of a physical or digital environment. Often with commodity category retailers, none of the above occurs and a seamless customer journey supported with technology is an exception to the rule.

“Breakthrough product innovation combined with interactive technology elevates the brand experience to provide a warm, approachable and intuitive environment”

As one of the nation’s leading bed retailers, Sleep Number’s vision is to become one of the world’s most beloved brands by delivering unparalleled sleep experiences. As a consumer-driven company, technology is the differentiator. Sleep Number offers revolutionary sleep innovations in a commoditized industry where mattress manufacturers and retailers focus only on price.

The Sleep Number store delivers a digitally integrated store experience designed to attract, engage and educate the consumer, while being an effortless customer experience. The shopping journey is consumer-centric and interactive to transform a purely rational shopping experience to one that maximizes both rational and emotional appeals. Breakthrough product innovation combined with interactive technology elevates the brand experience to provide a warm, approachable and intuitive environment. The store then becomes a 3-D selling tool to simplify and support a relationship-based selling process.

Unique to Sleep Number, benefit-driven interactive experiences communicate core product technologies. The journey begins with the exclusive Individual Fit^tm3-D imaging technology. This interactive experience allows the customer to see and feel the bed adjusting to their perfect level of comfort in real time. Individual Fit^tm visually demonstrates how a customer’s pressure points melt away as they find their perfect Sleep Number Setting. Through custom mapping software and projection screen technology, the digital interactive creates a unique experience building credibility and confidence in the purchase, leaving no doubt that Sleep Number is the right choice.

The innovative digital experiences combined with modern aesthetics and impactful merchandising showcase the newest breakthrough product technologies. Pillows and bedding solutions are the key to completing an individualized sleep experience and are often overlooked. Shopping is made easy with an interactive bedding planner to visualize your dream bedroom and PillowFit^tm process to find the perfect pillow for your body. Technology is the invisible thread to authentic brand storytelling and demonstrating the Sleep Number Bed in a way that is smart, effortless and life-changing.