• by Tanya Gazdik , February 9, 2010

Simmons Beautyrest is giving away one Beautyrest Anniversary mattress per week during its "Tweet for Sleep" sweepstakes.

The online promotion runs through April 30. Sleepy consumers are asked to send a Twitter message stating what they would do to obtain a good night's sleep that includes #simmonsbeautyrest and the URL http:// bit.ly/beautyrest. Sending the tweet automatically enters them into the contest to win the queen-size mattress valued up to $2,000.

A winner will be randomly selected each week. Any winners who buy a Simmons mattress during the sweepstakes will be reimbursed for the cost of their purchase, up to $2,000.

Simmons is promoting the sweepstakes directly to consumers via its Twitter and Facebook pages, company Web site and database of subscribers to "Better Sleep News," the company's email newsletter. Simmons has also created a variety of materials for mattress retailers to use when promoting the contest to their local customers, including drop-in print ads, point-of-sale items (window posters, tent cards and ceiling danglers), radio scripts and Web banner ads. Simmons placed a trade ad in Furniture/Today magazine to publicize the sweepstakes among mattress retailers.

The contest is part of the Atlanta-based company's ongoing series of social networking promotions that enable Simmons to communicate directly with consumers so they are more engaged with the company's brands, says Tim Oakhill, Simmons' executive vice president of marketing. Simmons will be hosting several online sweepstakes throughout 2010.

"We designed the sweepstakes to make Simmons more accessible to consumers, with the ultimate goal of increasing familiarity with the Simmons and Beautyrest brands," Oakhill tells Marketing Daily. "Using social media communications to connect with consumers helps Simmons to be at the forefront of potential customers' minds when they are ready to shop for a new bed; plus, this specific contest lets us better understand how much consumers value a good night's sleep."

Twitter is an especially effective way of generating interest in the sweepstakes because it allows the company to reach each participant's network of friends and family with a link to the contest Web site, Oakhill adds. "As a direct result of the 'Tweet For Sleep' promotion, we've already seen an increase in our Twitter followers, and we'll continue to connect with these consumers after the contest is over through our series of daily tweets, which communicate consumer-friendly Simmons news such as sleep tips, company press coverage and announcements of new online contests," Oakhill says.

Consumers can tweet from their personal Twitter accounts or via the entry form on the sweepstakes Web site. Participants may choose to post an original tweet, to re-tweet a variety of sample tweets listed on the sweepstakes Web site or to re-tweet another entrant's tweet.

In addition to posting tweets, visitors to the contest Web site may view a list of recent sweepstakes tweets, become a fan of Simmons on Facebook and register for Simmons' email newsletter, "Better Sleep News."