If we pay so little for comfort, how could Sleepwell make us care?
the situation
Sleepwell was trusted and familiar; already present in millions of Indian homes. For decades, it had defined what better comfort meant. But the world around it had changed. After years off mass media, the brand’s voice had faded, while newer D2C players were winning visibility with tech-heavy claims. Local brands, too, had learned to mimic the language of leaders. Everyone was promising the same few things: comfort, support, better sleep.
At the same time, people weren’t engaging with the category. Mattresses were replaced only out of necessity- a backache, a move, a worn-out bed. Trust alone wasn’t enough anymore. For Sleepwell to lead again, it had to make people see comfort as something worth emotional attention, not just a reluctant household chore.
Angle of inquiry
Why don’t families upgrade mattresses the same way as other durables?
How do they value the concept of ‘comfort’; justify spending?
What brands make their shortlist when they need to shop for one?
We explored these through an audit of household durables across 60+ families, across cities & towns.
What we found
Across homes, mattress shopping carried little meaning. People knew what to expect — foam, spring, support, and nothing brands said about sleep or comfort felt new. It didn’t change how families rationalised budgets.
While we saw clear links between a household’s economic wellbeing and the kind of appliances or furniture they bought or aspired to, there was no such pattern for mattresses. Comfort seemed detached from progress.
Beneath this lack of upgrade-seeking lay something deeper: restraint. Spending on one’s own comfort felt indulgent, even guilt-inducing. A mattress wasn’t visible or aspirational, so families defaulted to the safest acceptable option; not necessarily the best one for them.
But the rule flipped when it came to others. For a child, parent, or spouse, hesitation disappeared. Comfort for others was easier to justify, and seen as an act of care that made the purchase feel urgent, and right.
The solution
System of solutions
We anchored Sleepwell in a single belief: true comfort lies in comforting others.
We used our biggest asset, our name, to encourage people to show empathy by ritualising “Did you sleepwell?” into a greeting.
We highlighted relationships and occasions that showcase the philosophy of comfort in comforting others.
