Sleep Means Peace in Simba's 'Made for Peace' Campaign by BBH London

Sleep technology brand Simba has launched a major new brand campaign to raise awareness of how a lack of sleep can radically affect both decision making and emotional reactions, whilst also playing a vital role in conflict resolution.

The Made For Peace campaign, which has been devised by award-winning creative agency BBH London, will feature TV, organic social and digital ads. Comms planning and media is being bought by Wake the Bear.

As a market leader in the UK and Europe, to continue their rapid expansion and to elevate the brand from a competitive category dominated by product messaging, Simba needed to stand out. The sleep tech brand is shifting the gear from consideration to campaigning.

The 60 second TV spot opens on the deck of an aircraft carrier. It's the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962. We see a close up of an American general and Russian general staring intensely at each other. But rather than erupting into conflict, there’s a real sense of camaraderie. A tennis net is rolled out between them and a gentle and friendly rally ensues.

The film ends by returning us to the present day with a poignant reminder that the world could do with more peace now as much as then.

The advertising campaign will be shown on Channel 4, ITV and Sky, together with paid spend on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

The advert has been launched to coincide with the UN International Day of Peace. A global celebration initiated by Peace One Day, whose 20th anniversary is being celebrated on the 21st September #PeaceDay.

To support their peace initiatives worldwide, Simba is contributing £10 to Peace One Day from every Simba Hybrid Mattress sold in the UK from the 21st–27th September 2019. Every customer's purchase will support Peace One Day to inspire and empower young people to become active in the creation of a more peaceful and sustainable world.

Sir John Hegarty is an investor in Simba through his early-stage investor business, The Garage Soho. As creative advisor to Simba, and the creative director on this project he has been involved throughout the strategic and creative development of the idea, and execution of the TV spot.

Steve Reid, co-founder and CEO of Simba: “Our Made for Peace campaign has been carefully curated to make a serious point about how lack of sleep radically affects decision making.

“Whilst the campaign is designed to be light in tone, it is also intended to highlight a serious and growing issue we face as a nation. Just one night of bad sleep can make the part of your brain that processes threats react more aggressively.

“There is overwhelming scientific evidence to support the view that better sleep leads to calmer emotional reactions – yet we live in a 24-hour world where sleep is often considered a weakness.

“During the Cuban Missile Crisis the rational decision of one person, Vasily Arkipov, prevented a devastating escalation of conflict. The importance of calm decision making is as relevant now as ever and that’s something science links to sleep. As a global company in 3 continents - including North America -, we recognise the importance of improving sleep everywhere.

“A recent study we commissioned revealed nearly half (44 per cent) of Brits are getting just 6 hours of sleep or less a night, and only 17 per cent get their recommended eight hours of rest. We believe the sleep crisis we’re facing cannot be ignored any longer.”

Ian Heartfield, chief creative officer of BBH London said: "We can all be a bit irrational and emotional when we haven't had a good night's sleep. Therefore it figures that if we all slept on a state of the art mattress, and got a better night's sleep, the world would be a better place."

Sir John Hegarty, commented: “In these stressful times the world needs a better nights sleep. Simba’s superior spring and foam technology can help the world sleep more peacefully. Which is why our Made for Peace Campaign is so powerful. From the White House to your house.”