Paul Solly, Chief Commercial Officer at Dreams, talks about the details behind the recent TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool product launch and their ongoing relationship with the mattress maker.
Can you tell us about the relationship between Dreams and TEMPUR in the context of this launch?
Dreams began partnering with TEMPUR UK over 25 years ago. This means that for a long time our businesses have been aligned in how we approach customers and the world of sleep. In 2021, building on this relationship, Dreams officially joined the Tempur Sealy family, the world’s largest bedding company. Our partnership was born out of Tempur Sealy’s ambitions to grow within the European market, and its firsthand experience of Dreams as a successful and much-loved brand.
The launch of the new TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool range is exciting for a number of reasons. Firstly, it brings new advanced sleep technology to our customers. It also reinforces the strength of Dreams and Tempur Sealy’s long-standing partnership, demonstrating our shared commitment to helping our customers get the best sleep possible.
Can you tell us more about the TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool range and the technology behind it?
The new TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool range is TEMPUR’s most adaptive and coolest mattress yet. It’s been designed with pressure relief and motion absorption in mind, alongside cooling technology, for a perfect night’s sleep.
The story behind TEMPUR’s sleep technology and innovation is a really unique one, and something we’re shining a light on as part of this product launch. In the 60s, NASA invented a new material for use onboard its space shuttles which TEMPUR then spent years adapting to create the world’s first viscoelastic mattress and pillow. This material has been at the heart of every TEMPUR mattress and pillow ever since and is the foundation of this new TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool range available in our stores and online.
We showcased this new range to our retail colleagues at a launch event held at the National Space Centre. Our retail teams were hugely excited by the technology and to be sharing these products to Dreams customers.
The range, available at Dreams, also features ultra-sensitive cells which relieve pressure on crucial joints and absorb motion to avoid disturbances during the night, as well as technology which transfers heat away from the body.
TEMPUR has also extended its adaptive and cooling technology to a range of pillows such as the new TEMPUR Cloud Air SmartCool pillow range. There has been lots of excitement around the new Ombracio pillow which is unusually shaped like a four-notch clover leaf, ideal for front sleepers and pillow huggers.
I’m sure you’ll agree there’s no doubt that the range has got comfort covered, but we know there are other factors that contribute to a good night’s sleep. For example, over 40% of adults in the UK snore, and 75% of people who share a bed with a snorer say it impacts their sleep in some way. TEMPUR’s Ergo Smart Base aims to tackle this by utilising AI sensors that detect micro-vibrations from snoring. When snoring begins, the mattress base will automatically respond by elevating the snorer’s upper body 12 degrees, a position known to help reduce this.
The Smart Base can also provide personalised sleep coaching for anyone wanting to take their rest a step further. Integrated sensors in the base monitor sleep and compare this to the data of 250 million nights rest. AI then interprets and analyses this data, turning it into personalised insights and advice.
I’m delighted to say that since the TEMPUR Pro Air SmartCool range launch in March, sales of the new range have exceeded our expectations.
How has joining the Tempur Sealy family bolstered Dreams’ customer offering more broadly?
Joining the Tempur Sealy family has helped us to drive our growth in the UK, building on our position as the UK’s most recommended and loved bed retailer. The partnership has enabled us to work with TEMPUR on its product development and launches, bringing innovations such as this latest range to the UK market.
What are some wider challenges and trends Dreams is seeing within the retail and homeware sector?
There are a number of challenges the retail sector is facing right now. Of course, a key one being the cost of living and the impact this is having on customers’ willingness to shop and price sensitivity. As a mattress manufacturer and retailer, this dip in disposable income is especially relevant to us, as big-ticket purchases are often the first to be delayed when finances become a little tight.
This kind of economic downturn also serves to intensify market pressures, with retailers competing for customers who are still able to buy. We recently launched a new brand campaign inspired by the fact that we spend around a third of our lives in bed. We wanted to elevate the role of the humble mattress and sleep, and prompt customers to ‘Think what a Dreams bed could do for you’.
It was really exciting to feature Hollywood star Gillian Anderson in this campaign and reinforce Dreams’ quality credentials.
There are also ongoing issues around supply chain disruption, largely a result of attacks taking place on shipping vessels travelling through the lower Red Sea. Thankfully, our supply chains are agile and operate via various global routes, allowing us to greatly mitigate this issue. However, we, like many other businesses, continue to experience some disruption.
In terms of trends, aesthetically, we’re seeing a departure from brighter, more vibrant colours with natural tones and materials back in style, much like the stone grey and ivory colourways of TEMPUR’s new Arc Sensory Headboard.
We know that white and magnolia have long been the go-to wall colours for UK households, including rental properties. So, as customers become more concerned with sustainability and buying furniture to last, they’ll be on the hunt for neutral shades and fabrics that complement this timeless colour palette.
We’ve also seen a growing interest in the connection between sleep and wellbeing over the past few years, particularly among the younger consumer base. This has largely been driven by the rise of sleepcast apps and sleep wellness podcasts. Increasingly, we expect to see customers opt for beds that help them optimise their health, which is why we’re so excited to be bringing TEMPUR’s snore reduction technology and AI powered sleep coaching to our customers.
Heat regulation also continues to be a prominent concern in relation to sleep quality. 2022 saw the hottest summer’s day on record, reminding consumers of the significant impact of temperature on their rest. With warmer weather an ever more common occurrence in the UK, mattresses that offer heat regulation technology, such as those in the Pro Air SmartCool range, will also become increasingly sought after.
