SLEEP NUMBER

Presented by:
Michelle Connor

CONSUMER
One of the main concerns, if not the most important concern, of any company is the consumer.
The company does not successfully function without reliable consumers that will buy their
products. In order to reach maximum potential for this sleep pad, by Sleep Number, it is
imperative to have an educated insight about who the target audience should be. Primary and
secondary research will provide insight into the current sleep technology climate in the United
States, and the current statistics of consumers that purchase sleep tracking devices.

The first question to ask; what age demographic will use sleep tracking technology?

According to a study done by Alexander Kunst, the researcher discovered the, “Percentage of
U.S adults that use apps to track their sleep as of 2017, by age”

Shown below are the results:

SLEEP NUMBER
Presented by:
Michelle Connor

This data set published by Alexander Kunst, located on Statista, shares that 15 percent of the
respondents aged 18-29 have used sleep tracking apps, compared to 3 percent of respondents
ages 61 years and older have used sleep tracking apps. However, 51 percent of respondents ages
61 years and older responded that they “can imagine using it” and 50 percent of respondents
aged 46 -60 years shared that they “can imagine using it” as well. It is clear that the younger
demographic, 18 years of age to 45 years of year, have used and have an incline to use sleep
tracking technology.

What can sleep technology do?

Many consumers may ask, how can sleep technology make me a healthier individual?

In a recent article, “The Doctor Is in (Your Phone), published in Scientific American by Corinne
Iozzio, the author shares the benefits of health apps on one’s phone, and specifically explains a
sleep tracker that can help diagnosis individuals with sleep apnea. The subheading of this article
reads, “Smartphones apps in development will help diagnose and manage disease”, which can be
appealing for consumers who want to be more aware of their health. Iozzio shares that “A
forthcoming wave of apps will help diagnose conditions, spot trouble afar, and provide a window
into our day-today condition and health stats so we can get care when we need it most,” (18).
The author shares the importance of sleep technology in order to stay on top of one’s health, and
this gives Sleep Number insight that a projected target audience will be individuals who take
their health seriously.

Further in the article, Iozzio shares an up and coming app from the University of Washington
called Apnea that is predicted to diagnosis sleep apnea. This sleep technology will use “sonar
sound waves from the phone’s speaker bounce off a patient’s body and back to the phone,” (18),
Iozzio further explains that initial trials has displayed that this app is just as effective as going to
a sleep clinic and getting hooked up to machines that will ultimately tell the individual the same
diagnosis. The future of sleep technology promotes a healthier lifestyle and saves money and
time for the consumers.

The information presented above shares the age demographic that is most successful with sleep
technology apps, and the potential of what sleep technology could possibly do for the consumer,
for example detecting sleep apnea. These studies raise the question, should the sleep pad by
Sleep Number target audience be young adults that prioritize their health?

What is the relationship between sleep and health?

To further understand the health benefits of sleep for the consumer, an article published in
Current Directions in Psychological Science, “Sleep and Immunity”, shares the connection
between a strong immune system and a healthy amount of sleep.

In the section, “SLEEP DEPRIVATION: EFFECTS ON IMMUNITY” the author shares that,
“in humans, viral response studies show that even brief period of sleep deprivation can affect
immunity. Four hours of sleep per night for 4 nights before inoculation with influenza virus
produced poorer antibody response as compared to subjects who had regular sleep across the
board,” (Spiegal, Sheridan, & Van Cauter, 2002, 22). This research displays that healthy sleep
SLEEP NUMBER
Presented by:
Michelle Connor

habits are essential to an overall healthy well-being that the sleep pad by Sleep Number can
assist with.

Implications:
Given this information it is important to begin asking specific questions about the consumer, and
how the sleep pad can attract this specific target audience.
Some questions Sleep Number may ask given this research is:
o If the target audience demographic is “young adults” what price point is feasible for these
young professionals?
o Should the sleep pad also come with pamphlets emphasizing the health benefits of proper
sleep?
o Are certain areas of the country, for example California, that are more inclined to buy
products that benefit their wellbeing?

Insights:
Given the research uncovered above; Sleep Number now has the opportunity to begin thinking
about ways to reach the consumer. For example, if the consumer is a young adult that loves
health then maybe gear the advertising towards social media influencers that post about their
overall well-being. This secondary research provides answers to questions about who the
consumer could be, but also leads to more questions about further research.
o Should Sleep Number’s primary research come from a survey of young professionals, or
even upperclassmen college students, that asks questions that involve their perspective on
health?
o Will the actual sleep pad be easy to transport if young professionals are traveling?
o What research needs to be done to uncover if young professionals are even thinking about
their sleep?
o Would young professionals rather use apps, such as an apple watch or fit-bit?
o What sleep technology can the sleep pad provide that apps cannot?
o Does the sleep pad technology also come with an app included?

CULTURE
In order to truly understand the consumer, Sleep Number, must understand the aspects of the
current culture in the modern world today. In this day and age, especially in the United States,
there is an emphasis on work. The worker burnt out rate in the United States is increasing, and
many people are suffocating week by week with hours of work. Sleep Number has to consider
this work culture when marketing to young professionals and, since it is a sleep technology
company, Sleep Number needs to convey to their consumers that it is essential to prioritize sleep.

According to a study published by Alexander Kunst, “Percentage of adults in the U.S. who
agreed with select statements related to stress and life as of February 2017, by weekly working
hours”, uncovers that respondents have longer work week agree with statements such as: “I have
SLEEP NUMBER
Presented by:
Michelle Connor

problems unwinding in the evening or on the weekends”, “I often feel exhausted or burnt out”, “I
am stressed etc.”

How will sleep reduce my stress, be beneficial for my health and increase productivity at
work?
Based on the research uncovered about the consumer, Sleep Number has to begin to understand
the benefits of sleep when the current work climate is detrimental for young professionals.

In an article published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, the authors:
Ligaya Dalgaard, Anita Eskildsen, Ole Carstensen, Morten Vejs Willert, Johan Hviid Andersen
and David John Glasscock, share how sleep problems are evident in the modern world because
of the stress that work entails. The authors explain, “Work-related stress may be related to sleep
problems through several mechanisms involving both physiological stress mechanisms and
behavioral changes,” (570), the author continues to share, “Studies have also found a relation
between experimentally induced sleep deprivation and impaired functioning across most
cognitive domains…In the current sleep study, sleep problems might therefore contribute to
cognitive problems, but cognitive problems may also result in stress and rumination before
SLEEP NUMBER
Presented by:
Michelle Connor

bedtime, making it difficult to fall asleep. This interaction may be a contributing factor to the
maintenance of work-related stress symptoms,” (570). The authors are sharing to their readers
that stress, sleep, work, and health are not all separate issues, but in fact intersect. Sleep Number
has the opportunity to tackle these issues together by expressing to the consumer that research
relates sleep, to work, and helping one’s sleep, through a sleep pad, will only create positive
outcomes in the customer’s overall life and well-being.

Implications:
How is this research about the work and stress, and everything that lies in between, important to
Sleep Number?

Understanding how Sleep Number can be a contributing factor in the consumer’s lifestyle, and
understand the needs of the consumer (specifically based on the current culture) is an essential
factor in the sleep pad’s success. Being knowledgeable about studies that display that proper
sleep is key to maximum thought processes, and will even lead to a better productivity in a work
environment will help Sleep Number connect with their target audiences.
Some questions:
o Should Sleep Number advertise through leading cooperation’s?
o Does this research limit the target audience to focus on young professionals? Or should
Sleep Number expand their research to understand the benefits of sleep for professional
athletes, or even teenagers who need to perform well on their SATS/ACTS etc.?
o If the target audience is young professionals who work too much, and are stressed, then
how will Sleep Number convince their target audience that sleep can be more important
than work? Or is work and sleep equally important?

Insights:
Given the research presented above about the current work culture in the modern world it is
important to discuss the WHAT NOW? Sleep Number now has the opportunity to not only
provide their consumers with a better night sleep, through this sleep bad, but also can promise
the consumers that their overall lifestyle will change for the better. The marketing will transform
from a strict mattress/bedding company to have the potential to be an overall wellness brand. The
possibilities of Sleep Number are endless and this sleep pad will create a space in the company
where other products regarding wellness can be discussed. The expansion of Sleep Number can
only increase profit and maximize the potential of this company.

Now, what should the Primary Research entail?

o Should we send a survey to recent alumnus and asking if they would use/ or do use sleep
technology?
o Will interviews with upperclassmen on campus that ask open-ended questions about
sleep and wellness, in general, discover a deeper understanding of sleeping habits on a
college campus?
SLEEP NUMBER
Presented by:
Michelle Connor

o Should we have focus groups that consist of discussions about overall wellness and the
importance of well-being?
o Some survey questions could be as simple as:
o Do you approximately get 8-10 hours a sleep a night?
o Are you more likely to finish an assignment late into the late, rather than get the
amount of sleep recommended?
o Are your sleeping habits similar to your roommates, housemates, etc.?

Let’s continue this conversation and figure out what our next step should be…
SLEEP NUMBER
Presented by:
Michelle Connor

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/699439/us-adults-that-use-apps-to-track-sleep-by-age/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/26046092.pdf?ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-
5055%252Ftest&refreqid=excelsior%3A63928a6a875c7f5ac2a6d4a4e575def8

https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.elon.edu/stable/pdf/20183152.pdf?
ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-5055%252Ftest&refreqid=excelsior
%3A9f39c397a226efb2b5a8b92925a2034b

https://www.statista.com/statistics/695986/stress-related-statements-that-apply-to-us-adults-by-
weekly-working-hours/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/43188058.pdf?ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-
5055%252Ftest&refreqid=excelsior%3Ace278a2ea497188388730723beb87da4

https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.elon.edu/stable/pdf/20183152.pdf?
ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-5055%252Ftest&refreqid=excelsior
%3A9f39c397a226efb2b5a8b92925a2034b

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/4037547.pdf?ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-
5055%252Ftest&refreqid=excelsior%3A3c9be54baf6aa3798996111cd6374f42

https://www.sleepnumber.com/

https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.elon.edu/stable/pdf/26204246.pdf?
ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_SYC-5055%252Ftest&refreqid=excelsior
%3Ac2a45ab1b81132776424363421c84986