How Brands Are Marketing Sleep Post-Pandemic, Marketing & Advertising News, ET BrandEquity

For most people, sleeping at work may be frowned upon, but for some brands, deep sleep is the job itself. “Since the pandemic, there is certainly more discussion and more conversation about the importance of sleep, and even rest without sleep. There is now an increased appetite among a certain group of consumers who are ready to invest in their well-being and well-being,” says Kabir Siddiq, founder of sleep solutions brand SleepyCat.

The fact that sleep is here to stay is further explained by the fact that we now have a “World Sleep Day” observed in March each year.

And it’s not just about closing your eyes anymore; brands are actively looking to help consumers get a good night’s sleep from a broader health perspective. “Every business – including the comfort and bedding business – has now become a health business,” shares Uttam Malani, executive director, Centuary Mattress, adding that Covid-19 has worked as a catalyst to accelerate home consumption. organized sector products. The numbers also reflect this: the past two years have seen accelerated industry growth of 11-12% year-on-year.

The Sleep Affair
Selling a product is not enough, says Ankit Gaur, GM (marketing), Livpure Sleep. Marketing sleep with a focus on overall well-being is the need of the hour. “The kind of perks that come with [good sleep] should be highlighted, as well as some added [brand] advantages such as fast delivery, EMI options, etc. With the importance of sleep increasing day by day, it is of the utmost importance that the consumer gets the most out of your product,” shares Gaur.

Smita Murarka, CMO, Duroflex, adds that more than 20% of the company’s revenue comes from the categories it launched after the pandemic. “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of health and preventative care with boosting immunity,” she says, and with that, sleep is the most important superpower for good health. “Our marketing efforts are aimed at educating consumers on the importance of sleep.”

The gummies brand Nyumi, which retails sleep health gummies, has also seen a surge of new users in the pandemic. Founder Ananya Kejriwal said, “We have been overwhelmed with the response to our sleep gummies, with 25% of customers ordering regularly. This makes it our best-selling variant along with the hair and skin erasers. We are also seeing equal demand from new melatonin users and people switching from other products. »

Even brands that don’t have sleep as their primary offering are focusing their attention on it. A Spotify spokesperson shares, “With local listeners in mind, we’ve curated a few playlists for that mood and moment. There are also global playlists that work well locally including Sleep, Deep Sleep, Night Rain, Baby Sleep, Sleepy Piano. Meanwhile, podcasts to help you sleep are the most popular in India, while AnimeASMR, Get Sleepy and Relaxing White Noise are the most popular podcasts.

mediums that work
As the pandemic progressed, consumer knowledge of sleep also increased. According to Priyanka Salot, co-founder of The Sleep Company, “The pandemic has given way to a more product-savvy, quality-conscious consumer who is willing to research, compare product materials and technology, and take informed decisions”.

This means that brands have had to turn to new mediums to market themselves. Going digital was the way to go. “We’ve used social media as a tool to enable a two-way conversation with customers by engaging them with numerous contests, quizzes and memes. Video content is of the utmost importance to us and has really worked in our favor so far. now,” says Salot.

Advertising on channels like Facebook, Instagram and Google during the pandemic has allowed brands to have more reach than before as people increasingly consume social media. “It becomes an important channel for brands to market their products,” adds Gaur.

The Big Push
“Any brand remotely connected to healthcare is pushing hard, because there has never been such awareness of health and wellness,” says Arun Iyer, founding partner of Spring Marketing Capital, the agency behind the Communication from Wakefit. He adds that there has been a complex shift in the tone and way health is marketed. The new normal in advertising shows that immunity is a buzzword.

And the narrative is set to continue even as the pandemic slows. Brand expert Harish Bijoor says sleep has gotten out of hand for many. “The strains of the pandemic, the discomforts of our loved ones, the uncertainties of all kinds about work, income and relationships have affected the quality of sleep we used to have. And if sleep is the problem, the solution is every item that will help you sleep better. Therefore, sleep is a science today. Brands of pillows, mattresses, sleep oils, sleep music, sleep yoga, sleep gums and more abound. I wouldn’t be too surprised if there were sleep advisors on the market! And if there isn’t yet, it’s a business space that can be opened up,” he says.

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