Mattress Firm Completes National Agency Review, Selects Zimmerman and OMD as Key Strategic Partners

Furniture World Magazine

Mattress Firm, one of the nation’s leading specialty mattress retailers, announced that the company has concluded its internally-driven, national agency review and selected two strategic partners to drive its creative and media initiatives. Fort Lauderdale-based Zimmerman Advertising will oversee creative, which is an extension of the role the company has partially held for the past 18 months, while the San Francisco office of OMD will assume responsibilities for media planning and buying. Both firms are part of the Omnicom Group. “Mattress Firm is in an accelerated growth stage and our brand positioning and marketing efforts are critical components of our overall growth strategy,” said Bill Dandy, executive vice president of branding for Mattress Firm. “After an extensive agency review with some highly talented and qualified agencies, I am confident that we’ve selected two partners who have the leadership and the know-how to develop and implement marketing strategies that will build on our brand equity. We also expect to realize a high degree of synergy between the two agencies, as they are both part of the respected Omnicom family of companies.” In addition to Zimmerman and OMD, the agency review process included consideration of some the industry’s most recognized and reputable agencies, including several top 10 agencies as ranked by Advertising Age. Mattress Firm currently operates 400 stores in 35 markets in 20 states. The company has already opened 34 new stores in 2007 through both strategic acquisitions and organic growth and has plans to open an additional 45 by the end of the year. “We look forward to continuing our brand development work with Mattress Firm as we further establish their position as the premier national specialty store destination for sleep solutions” said Pat Patregnani, President of Zimmerman. Dandy added: “Pat and his team have played an integral role in establishing our presence in many of our key markets, I look forward to the impact they will have on a national scale.” “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Mattress Firm. Our team is anxious to begin developing media strategies that will target consumers across multiple mediums to support their accelerated growth plans,” said Monica Karo, Managing Director for OMD West. Mattress Firm has also been working with Seattle-based Destination Marketing for several years. During the transitional period, which may continue through early spring 2008, Destination Marketing will continue to support Mattress Firm in many of its key markets. “We are very appreciative of the impact that Dan Voetmann and his team have had on our business results to date and look forward to their continued support throughout this transition.” said Bill Dandy. About Zimmerman Advertising: Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, ZIMMERMAN ADVERTISING, an Omnicom Group ™ company, is currently the 15th largest advertising agency in the United States, with more than 1,000 full-time associates and offices throughout the country, including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Atlanta. About OMD: OMD (www.omd.com) is one of the largest and most innovative media communications specialists in the world, with more than 140 offices in 80 countries. Named 2006 Most Creative Agency in the World by The Gunn Report for Media, OMD also had the distinction of being named Media Agency of the Year and winning a Gold Lion and two Bronze Lions at the 2007 Cannes International Advertising Festival. In addition, OMD was awarded the most Effies in 2006 and 2007, including the highest honor of Grand Effie, and was named 2005 Global Media Agency of the Year by Adweek and 2005 Media Agency of the Year in the U.S. by Advertising Age. The agency network is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. About Mattress Firm: Houston-based Mattress Firm (www.mattressfirm.com) is America’s preferred specialty mattress company and the nation’s largest specialty retailer of top-of-the-line Sealy products. Founded in 1986, Mattress Firm’s knowledgeable sales staff, broad product offering and competitive prices have fueled the company’s growth to 400 stores in 35 markets.