Ah, summer. It is my favorite season.
When I was a little girl, summer was a time of play, adventure and happy days. I grew up in the rolling hills of North Carolina’s Piedmont, so, true to form, my family maintained a huge garden. Each spring, under my father’s supervision, my sister, three brothers and I would plant rows of string beans, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, Crowder peas and, occasionally, Silver Queen corn and pumpkins. By July, our garden produced an enormous bounty, and all 10 of our hands would be busy picking and snapping or shucking. Those were precious days, filled with sunshine and laughter. Most important, although I didn’t realize it at the time, my father taught us about working together and the value of being together. In a field. In the July sun. And laughing.
Recently, I was reminded of those childhood days at, of all places, the High Point Market, June 5-9, in High Point, North Carolina. I know it sounds like a far-fetched comparison, but when members of BedTimes and sister publication Sleep Savvy gathered in the Therapedic International showroom to film two video series for the magazines (more on those below. And yes, we are now video producers!), it felt like the summers of my childhood. Until the High Point Market, more than 18 months had lagged since I had seen the smiles of staff members Kerri Bellias, ISPA vice president of advertising sales and events; Dave Perry, editor at large for BedTimes and Sleep Savvy; and Mary Helen Rogers, ISPA vice president of marketing and communications. In a showroom. During market. And laughing.
We met to film a newly launched, lighthearted video series hosted by Dave. Brief, high energy and cheeky, “Take 5 With Dave,” highlights weekly bedding industry news, insights, events, personalities and more.
Early this month, we will launch “Inside the Mind of the Mattress Shopper,” a six-part video series on a major research study conducted in 2020 by the Better Sleep Council. It will spotlight key changes in the evolving mattress shopping marketplace.
Why am I excited about these series? First, I hope they deliver valuable content to deepen your understanding of current market forces and provide insight into today’s consumer. Second, I think you will find them entertaining, engaging and informative. Third, it’s important for our publications to expand our media, message and content. Finally, it’s just plain fun. Now emerging from months and months of stay-at-home orders, I think we all deserve it. Don’t you?
