Gold Bond Announces New Futon Retailer Advertising Campaign

Noting the futon industry’s ongoing home furnishings success, Gold Bond VP of Marketing Andy Freedman announced the development of a new futon advertising program for Gold Bond futon retailers that will help position the futon as a “normal mainstream product that belongs in every home or office.”

New ad slicks are being developed now that will be available this fall, he said. The ads are being designed to show the futon in all-American settings with emphasis on the benefits Gold Bond futons deliver. “We all have a great story to tell and at Gold Bond we want to keep the excitement alive, to help our dealers convey to their customers just how mainstream and wonderful this product really is,” he said. Noting the price value ratio for futons is unrivalled in the sofa industry, he added, “we must be sure this message gets out to Mr., Ms., and Mrs. America to keep momentum and to keep growing the market.”

Gold Bond was first to introduce professionally produced point of sale materials and print ads. The company wants to continue this tradition of leadership in both product development and retail support, Mr. Freedman added. “With this campaign we will enable our retail base to work toward accomplishing that goal in 2002-2003.”

“We know that we can do a much better job reaching some demographics; studies show there are many people who don’t know about or consider futons the right choice. We hope to start making progress in changing their perceptions, and this is a step toward doing just that,” he said.
Gold Bond manufactures a complete line of futon mattresses from its state-of-the-art factory in Connecticut. The company offers the futon industry’s widest variety of styles, comfort levels, and price points in over a dozen models.

Futon stores and specialty sleep galleries are also now receiving new shipments from Gold Bond of a highly differentiated futon mattress ensemble that enables futon retailers to offer bedding shoppers a new and unique European-styled sleep product with extraordinary profit margins.

‘Perfection’

The new specialty futon mattress, trademarked Visco Perfection™, made its debut at the Chicago futon show. It has since enjoyed tremendous retail success. “Futon and specialty sleep retailers tell us that customers are seeking products that provide exceptional comfort. This product fills that niche, an upscale, European tailored, visco-memory foam mattress and foundation with broad appeal. This is a perfect fit for the futon and specialty sleep futon galleries and is designed to hit the ‘sweet spot’ of the market,” Gold Bond VP of Sales and Marketing Andy Freedman announced.

“It’s a new product the company is proud to add to its roster of premium futon mattresses. We have futon stores that are re-ordering on a daily basis. It is a red-hot product that specialty retailers are making great a return on their investment,” he said.

Midwest Charges Forward with new oak frame futon line

Midwest Imports, Inc. came into the futon industry in 1998 offering futon vendors one of the most competitively priced selections of value futon furniture available. Four years later, Midwest is ready to shift gears and move forward once again.

Starting in June, Midwest will introduce its own high-end, American oak futon frames. “We believe the combination of the American oak’s beautiful grain and Midwest’s pricing will make it a hot seller,” says Cecilia Yi, VP of Sales     & Marketing. In conjunction with Midwest’s newly opened factory, now in full production, these new American oak frames will be sold with a Limited Lifetime Warranty, along with Midwest’s traditional hardwood futon frames. “Our frames have come a long way, and with our modernized manufacturing facility, we are confident in the quality of our new products,” said Connie Yi, VP of Finance and General Counsel.

Expanding their repertoire of futon frames, Midwest introduced their Metal Line of contemporary metal futon frames earlier this year. “Due to high demand, we are adding additional styles to this line.” said Yi.

Midwest is also putting together a store-front promotional package to help train and aid retail sales associates in selling Midwest futon frames. “This is all part of a new initiative to push our products through the supply chain from end-to-end,” stated Cecilia Yi. “Helping our customers sell more of our frames helps us sell more futon frames.”

Adonis Teams With Futon Veteran Glasser Group

Oakland, CA — Adonis Furniture is pleased to announce its new partnership with The Glasser Group. The Glasser Group will not only represent Adonis in the East but will also facilitate distribution for the Adonis products out of their Tampa facility. This partnership will provide the East Coast and Midwest quick and easy access to Adonis’ comprehensive line of futon frames and bedroom furniture. Offering hardwood, solid oak, and metal futon frames, as well as platform beds, and casegoods, the Adonis line has it all.

In a related story The Glasser Group announced the Grand Opening of their 10,000 sq. ft. warehouse, office and showrooms. The celebration took place Thursday June 20th & Friday June 21st.

The three new showrooms will feature: American National Specialty Bedding, Gold Bond futon mattresses and the new Perfection Visco 200 Bed, Adonis futon frames, bedroom groups, case goods, youth bedroom, Stockton Gage outdoor solid teak furniture and America Group solid teak futon furniture and accessories.

America Group Introduces The Home Collection

The Home Collection, introduced by the America Group at the recent Futon & Specialty Sleep Expo is now shipping second and third reorders. “Some of our customers are truly surprised that they are selling the add on products, such as screens, entertainment centers, occasional tables and bedroom with case goods,” said Chet Stoler, the company spokesperson. Stoler reported that customers are selling these collections made of solid teak and mahogany, and liked the advantage of selling these “unique products.” “Retailers also commented on the helpful ‘Partners In Retail’ program that made selling our products easier,” he said.

The America Group has created their “Partners In Retail” program to assist their futon dealers with a program that helps attract and sell through to consumers. The program, which is free to futon store owners carrying The Home Collection’s futon furniture and bedroom products consists of: catalogs and postcards for in store and direct mailings, clip art and newspaper ad slicks, attractive in-store photography of room settings and feature/benefit sales training. “This program is an accumulation of proven in store sales aids,” Stoler said.

King Koil Announces New Call Center

Chicago — King Koil Sleep Products is pleased to announce that Consolidated Mattress, a Dial-A-Mattress franchisee covering Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Florida, has established a new call center at its Stoughton, Massachusetts location. The call center went on-line April 1, 2002, and operates 24/7 year round.

According to Nick Kalogeropoulos, call center director, the new facility will utilize state of the art technology. Together with manager Mark Detroia, the call center team has more than 25 years of customer service experience. The center is expected to handle more than 200,000 calls annually. The dial locations will carry a full line of King Koil Products.

King Koil Products, manufacturers of Perfect Contour and Spinal Contour Sleep Systems, produces the world’s #1 selling Chiropractor Sleep Systems. Headquartered in Chicago, King Koil has 17 bedding factories in the United States.