Sleep Country Canada Takes on Toxic Hustle Culture

Have you ever been dissed for sleeping 'too much' or going to bed 'too early'? In today’s hustle culture, many Canadians feel guilty or even shamed for prioritising the rest their bodies need, as if getting a solid eight hours is some sort of luxury for the unambitious and unfun.

Enter Sleep Country Canada. The brand that’s long understood the value of a good night’s sleep is here to put the guilt trips to bed and champion the power of rest with a bold new campaign titled ‘Stop Sleep Shaming.’ A national survey conducted by Sleep Country Canada reveals that more than half (56%) of Canadians have been sleep-shamed, with 42% admitting to doing the shaming themselves.

“Today’s hustle culture glorifies early mornings and minimal sleep as the key to success,” says Nuno Bamberg, senior vice-president, brand and marketing at Sleep Country. “This mindset creates social pressure, pushing people to ignore their natural need for rest.” 

For their first collaboration with Sleep Country, Camp Jefferson and K72 joined forces to craft a campaign that’s both playful and irreverent. "We've all heard this 'rise and grind, sleep when you’re dead' mantra," says Ashley Babcock, associate creative director at Camp Jefferson. "As Canada’s sleep authority, Sleep Country is flipping the script by positioning sleep as the real power move.”

So, to reach both the sleep-shamed and sleep-shamers, Sleep Country launched its ‘Stop Sleep Shaming’ campaign on Monday, March 3rd, to kick off Sleep Awareness Month. The campaign will include a :30s TV spot and :30s Radio, featuring humorous and relatable scenarios highlighting the pervasiveness of sleep shame, whether it’s someone forcing themselves into a 4:00 a.m. cold plunge or a mother resisting a much-needed nap. Influencers will also be joining the conversation to help spread awareness.

The campaign strategy and creative were developed and managed by Camp Jefferson and K72, with Middle Child leading PR and influencer.