The long-funnel strategy that delivered 30% growth

The Client

Sit ‘n Sleep is a Southern California mattress retailer operating some of the largest and most successful brick and mortar mattress stores in the nation. For more than three decades, Sit ‘n Sleep’s ads have dominated the broadcast airwaves on television and radio.

THE CHALLENGE

Sit ‘n Sleep has spent decades building strong brand recognition through sustained investment in high-funnel awareness channels. When COVID hit, the company changed course dramatically. They cut media spend on brand-building channels by 39% as consumers reduced their spending habits, and they shifted investment to lower-funnel channels to maintain immediate sales volume. Their main competitor took a completely different approach.

While Sit ‘n Sleep was busy “zigging,” their competitor “zagged.” They invested heavily in brand building while simultaneously expanding their retail footprint eightfold across the region. The combined effect was devastating. Their biggest competitor outperformed Sit ‘n Sleep in search volume by 62% by June 2024. Sit ‘n Sleep’s visibility, top-of-mind awareness, and customer engagement all plummeted, putting future growth at risk.

THE LOWER FUNNEL TRAP

So, what went wrong? Sit ‘n Sleep experienced firsthand the dangers of the Lower Funnel Trap. It’s a common marketing misstep that brands make when relying too heavily on lower-funnel strategies for products that actually require a full-funnel approach. Problems arise when brands allocate the majority of their budget to lower-funnel conversion tactics while expecting scalable results from consumers who may need weeks to make a decision.

The company realized just how severe the consequences of this short-term thinking can be. Without sustained investment in higher-funnel media, future demand fades—captured instead by brands that invested earlier in the customer’s journey.

THE SOLUTION

Reestablishing brand leadership.
Reversing lost market share was crucial, so we launched a full-funnel, cross-platform strategy that met customers at every stage of their journey. When Sit ‘n Sleep trimmed its top-of-funnel awareness channels, the best solution was a three-pillar approach to redistribute media spend back into high-funnel brand building with an emphasis on digital platforms.

Brand Building: We leveraged both Linear and Streaming TV to reach viewers wherever they watch. Investments went into Premium Streaming partnerships with Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, plus high-profile Linear sports inventory to rebuild brand authority and trust through high-interest programming.

Swaying Preference: Using life event data, we identified potential buyers before they began searching. Our social and digital campaigns created familiarity with these prospects through social and digital campaigns ensuring Sit ‘n Sleep was already on their radar when they entered the market.

Dominating the Decision Stage: We deployed aggressive search strategies that both defended Sit ‘n Sleep’s branded terms and conquered competitor keywords, using social ads to retarget cart abandoners and competitor shoppers. Our campaigns were optimized to convert online interest into store visits, creating a seamless digital-to-physical customer experience.

THE RESULTS

Our long-funnel omnichannel approach to media strategy worked fast, delivering a series of measurable wins for Sit ‘n Sleep. Brand search interest returned to 2019 levels, surpassing the competition. Total sales grew 30% year over year and consumer consideration-attributed sales increased 123% year over year. The company also saw programmatic ROAS improve 72% while the cost per walk-in dropped 132%.

A LONG-AWAITED VICTORY

Sit ‘n Sleep discovered the power of embracing the long funnel. Today’s complex, omnichannel environments require more touchpoints than ever before. Brands must invest in long-term, trust-building by showing up across a dynamic media mix. Messaging should be tailored for each stage of the funnel and audience segment. This is especially true for considered purchase brands.  

By rolling out media plans that support potential buyers throughout their journey, Sit ‘n Sleep didn’t just help prospects decide, they set themselves up for better outcomes across the board.  

The Lower Funnel Trap nearly cost them their very valuable market position. Good thing they learned the right countermoves to combat reactive, short-term thinking. Leveraging a customized, full-strategy didn’t just restore their brand leadership, it amplified it.