Casper Made $1M in Sales in a Month

In partnership with

You had a long, tiring day, and all you want is to relax and get a good night’s sleep. But when you lie down, your mattress feels uncomfortable 😣 and you toss and turn.

Now, think about this.

What if you could buy a mattress online, try it for 100 nights, and return it if it did not feel right 😀 That’s what Casper created. Before Casper, buying a mattress was a hectic chore.

You would spend hours at a store, testing different beds, and it often left you unsure. But Casper broke through that confusion by offering a straightforward solution.

Their idea was simple: deliver high-quality mattresses straight to your door without pressure or hassle.

How did Casper make all this success happen?

Let's see!

Casper is a brand that changed the way people think about buying mattresses. They started with a simple idea: making it easy for customers to buy a mattress online without the usual hassle of going to a store.

With creative ads and a focus on customer experience, Casper quickly became a household name. But the journey was not a bed of roses.

Timeline of Events

In 2014, Casper shook up the mattress industry with their "mattress-in-a-box" idea.

Instead of going through a stuffy old mattress store, you could now order your mattress straight from the comfort of your couch and have it shipped to your door.

It was a game-changer. Casper's success was all about keeping things simple: one great product, happy customers, and a fresh way of doing business.

• 2014: The beginning

Casper launched with a simple strategy - one flagship mattress designed for universal comfort. By keeping their products detailed, they avoided the confusion of choice. Within two years, they sold mattresses worth over $100 million, primarily online.

• 2015 - 2017: Growth and marketing excellence

Casper gained visibility through unique marketing campaigns across media. They used podcast sponsorships and social media to build a relatable wellness brand.

And they raised $340 million in venture capital in 2017. That fueled the brand's aggressive growth and product lines into pillows, bedding, and sleep accessories.

• 2018 - 2020: Challenges and public offering

Casper entered the offline market by launching pop-up shops and permanent stores. Despite the expanded presence, the business faced high customer acquisition costs (CAC) and profitability issues.

The IPO in 2020 indicated financial instability, with Casper losing approximately $300 per mattress sold. This IPO valued the company at nearly half its expected worth.​

• 2021: Decline and sale

After facing fierce competition and struggling to diversify its product line, Casper had to sell for a disappointing $286 million. This shows how tough it is to stay profitable in the crowded direct-to-consumer market.

• 2022 - Present: Shifting strategies

Under new ownership, Casper has been focusing on profitability. That included refining their product, optimizing supply chains, and using organic growth strategies like SEO and content marketing. Their blog now generates over 40% of organic traffic.

Analysis of Strategy

Casper’s growth and challenges offer a fascinating lens to understand the dynamics of a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model and its evolution in a competitive market.

DTC pioneering and customer experience focus

Casper changed the traditional mattress industry with a simple yet innovative approach. By offering a 100-day trial and free returns, Casper reduced the purchase risk for customers, which led to early adoption.

The first year in the business alone saw $1 million in sales within a month, and by 2016, they had made $200 million in revenue, far outpacing competitors who took years to reach similar benchmarks​.

Marketing mastery and omnichannel expansion

Casper’s marketing tactics have been a core pillar of its success. From dominating search ads to running campaigns in local languages for international markets, Casper personalized its marketing to drive conversion.

They also heavily used remarketing strategies across platforms like Facebook, blending social proof with direct retargeting ads​.

Some notable campaigns by Casper include:

• Subway Takeover with illustrations

In 2015, Casper converted New York City's subway cars into "sleeper cars" by decorating them with whimsical illustrations. This creative approach turned daily commutes into engaging experiences and captured the attention of a broad audience. (Read more here)

• "Sleep Channel" on YouTube

Casper introduced the "Sleep Channel" on YouTube, where they share soothing sounds and sleep-inducing content. This initiative promoted their products and provided value to viewers seeking better sleep and built the brand brand loyalty.

Here’s the introductory video of the channel:

• "Dream Machine" campaign

Casper launched a joint "Dream Machine" campaign with Big Day Agency, in which they showed the preparation process of their mattresses. The campaign combined CGI with real-world footage to create a magical narrative around sleep. (Read more here)

• Influencer partnerships

Casper engaged with influencers across platforms like YouTube to promote their mattresses. By using influencers' reach and credibility, Casper positioned itself as the Internet's favorite mattress.

For example, here’s a collaborated post with gay dad influencers:

casper

View more on Instagram

• Out-of-Home advertising

Casper utilized out-of-home advertising by placing creative ads in bus shelters and billboards. These ads featured catchy slogans and visuals that resonated with passersby to reinforce brand presence in urban areas. (Read more here)

Product diversification and lifestyle branding

While Casper initially focused on one perfect mattress, it expanded its portfolio to include sleep accessories, bed frames, and even non-sleep-related products like dog beds.

All this helped position Casper as more than a mattress brand. It soon became a lifestyle symbol for quality sleep and modern living.​ Additionally, Casper continued leveraging innovation to maintain its edge.

For example, its partnerships with platforms like Amazon allowed it to dominate search results for high-conversion keywords. This strategy captured demand across channels and reinforced its visibility in the crowded market​.

For example, here’s one of the listings on Amazon:

Conclusion

Casper’s success shows the power of creativity, customer focus, and using modern marketing strategies. By offering a simple, risk-free experience, they built trust and loyalty with their customers. Their creative campaigns and smart use of influencers helped them stand out in a crowded market.

Let’s see who’s got the better answer:

1. How can any brand apply Casper's approach to customer experience to stand out in the industry?

2. How can you use multiple marketing channels to reach and engage your audience more effectively?