Most companies target TV’s primetime slots to air their ads. But earlier this week, a mattress company created an odd hotline for Americans who are struggling with insomnia, and 15-second spots promoting the hotline started airing in the wee hours of the morning on selected networks.
According to Adweek, Casper’s “Can’t Sleep?” ads started airing on Tuesday at 2 a.m. on TNT, TBS, and AMC. The ads feature a sunset, tiny plants growing, and salmon leaping upstream set to smooth jazz and electronic tracks. The copy reads, “Can’t Sleep? Call (888) 890-2040.” In an interesting twist, the “Casper” brand is neither seen nor heard in the spots.
The number is said to be still up and running. According to the website, those whose curiosity got the best of them got an even more bizarre experience when they tried to call the hotline.
It was said that a vaguely British voice guides callers into pressing numbers to hear nine ways for insomniacs to cope with the early morning hours. The options included pressing 3 “to travel back in time to the 1990s,” 5 to listen to “a motivational speech,” and 7 to “learn the history of a cocktail weiner.”
The ads, along with the sound effects and video recordings on the hotline, were reportedly created by Casper employees. The brand reportedly did not work with any ad agency to create the spots and content.
The odd hotline and ads are among Casper’s initiatives to set itself apart from other mattress companies. In addition to selling mattresses, pillows, dog beds, and luxury pool floats, the company is marketing itself as a business that takes sleep culture very seriously.
Last year, the company launched insomnobot 3000, a bot that people can text. According to Observer, the project was developed by a 10-person team made up of Casper’s tech, design, data, and creative departments. The result is a bot that is “extremely chatty between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.” that is supposed to respond at all times.
Apart from conceiving clever marketing tactics, Casper has also become one of the most desirable places to work for. Refinery29 reports that the bedding startup has three full-size beds in its New York City headquarters and that employees are permitted to take a nap during the afternoon.
For more, check out Jobs & Hire’s report on the company that wants to pay you $10,000 to travel and live in luxurious homes all over the world.
