What Mattress Mack Teaches Us About Building Affinity | Echo Chamber

WEBVTT 1 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:12.880 Conversations from the front lines of marketing. This is B two B Growth. 2 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:19.359 Welcome back to the echo Chamber here on B TWOB Growth, where we throw 3 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:22.800 in our two cents on what B two B marketers are talking about on the 4 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.760 internet. I'm James Carberry and I'm joined today by Benji Block. We've got 5 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:31.039 Denore on the other side of the mic producing the episode. And uh, 6 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:34.439 Benji, we're doing this a little bit different. Uh So, there's a 7 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:38.479 story that I wanted to talk about on the Echo Chamber and you actually I 8 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:43.560 thought you would have heard this story by now, and you haven't, and 9 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:48.880 so we're going to reveal this on the episode. But the story is about 10 00:00:48.960 --> 00:00:53.520 Mattress Mac. So, Benji, you you don't know anything about Mattress Mac. 11 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:57.200 Correct. I have never heard of Mattress Max. So so film me 12 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:00.920 in so particularly with you, just I mean with you being until a few 13 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:06.439 weeks ago in Austin. So this guy, Mattress Mac, he owns a 14 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:11.959 mattress store in in the Houston area and he has put together this campaign for 15 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.519 his mattress store. Maybe it's more than just mattresses, but I think it 16 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:21.519 might be just focused on mattresses. Where anybody if the Houston Astros win the 17 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:26.359 World Series this year, anybody who has bought furniture from Mattress Max store in 18 00:01:26.359 --> 00:01:32.400 in the year of so starting January one, he will refund them a percent 19 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:37.959 of their money if the Houston Astros win the World Series. So you can 20 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:46.359 imagine that. You can imagine that this is building massive affinity for this Mattress 21 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:51.840 Mac brand locally right like where he needs to build affinity. He needs everybody 22 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:57.000 in the Houston area to know and love Mattress Mac so that for their next 23 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:00.920 Mattress purchase, it's a no brainer who they're going to work and what he's 24 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:07.519 done. He's also gone to I think like ten different sports books in Vegas 25 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:14.240 and he's like bet ten million dollars on the Astros winning the World Series. 26 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:20.080 So if the Astros win the World Series, that ten million turns into seventy 27 00:02:20.120 --> 00:02:24.840 five million, which he then uses to pay back all of his customers for 28 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:30.319 the furniture that they've bought. In two. I heard that and I thought 29 00:02:30.759 --> 00:02:34.439 that is freaking brilliant. Apparently this year, I mean, because they've obviously 30 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:37.599 been talking about it leading up to the playoff run, which is why I'm 31 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:40.240 surprised you haven't heard about it, because they've been talking about this for I 32 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:44.039 mean, I think he started it in January, so they've been talking about 33 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:46.879 it leading up to the World Series that like, oh my gosh, this 34 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:51.759 crazy thing that this guy is doing. And then the Astros actually like make 35 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:53.719 it to the World Series, so it's like, oh my god, Like 36 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:58.719 the the story of it is just so brilliant. This is it. This 37 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:02.319 is like it's down to like the next few nights. Is this is how 38 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:09.280 did I was I living under a rock? Like where was I? Maybe 39 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:15.599 I was moving across the country. James, This is totally a story that 40 00:03:15.800 --> 00:03:21.199 I would like get really deep into and maybe I just like heard mattress mackin 41 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:23.520 because it's like baseball, It's like I care, but I don't really care, 42 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:28.360 especially when like my soccer teams and like, I mean, I got 43 00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.800 other sports that I really care about. But this is incredible for so many 44 00:03:31.879 --> 00:03:36.599 reasons. And I finally I just pulled up the article too, So now 45 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:38.639 I'm like trying to deep dive and listen to this at the same time. 46 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:45.000 Okay, but so if they don't win, it was a great marketing play. 47 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:49.520 But what happens like he's just out all this money. So there's a 48 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.719 line in here in this article that says, even if the Philadelphia Phillies prevail, 49 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:57.800 Mcinveil figures he'll still come out half a million to a million dollars ahead 50 00:03:58.120 --> 00:04:02.520 after paying out customer funds. Yeah, they've had apparently. I was talking 51 00:04:02.520 --> 00:04:05.919 to my buddy about this last night. They've had their greatest year ever in 52 00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:10.759 terms of sales, and so I think they've done like fifteen million in revenue 53 00:04:10.800 --> 00:04:14.240 this year, of course, but to have to do fifteen million in refunds 54 00:04:14.879 --> 00:04:17.839 if your team wins because of this bet you've made would obviously put a hamper 55 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:20.920 on the big year you've had. But then the fact that he's offsetting it 56 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:27.839 with these bets where if they win, the bets basically cover it. It's 57 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:32.000 so like, I'm like, this is next level brilliant. And what's another 58 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:36.120 thing that's so brilliant about it? Like the likelihood of the story playing out 59 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:40.439 this way where you make this bet in January and then the team actually makes 60 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:44.360 it to the World Series probably not gonna happen again. I mean, I 61 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:48.600 would imagine like the likelihood of it happening is so minuscule, but the affinity 62 00:04:48.759 --> 00:04:53.839 that this now builds in the Houston area around Mattress Mac, this guy is 63 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:58.839 now going to be an icon for likely decades, for the rest of time. 64 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:00.879 And so my buddy was like, man, you know, like even 65 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:04.199 if he loses his shorts, has to give back all the money to clients. 66 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:09.360 I mean, what this does for him from a top of mind, 67 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:14.439 I mean everybody in Houston and everybody, even if you're not a baseball fan, 68 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:16.680 when you're living in the city and that and that team goes to the 69 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:20.560 World Series, you become a fan because you pride in your city and all 70 00:05:20.600 --> 00:05:26.000 that stuff. And so the affinity that people are going to have towards wanting 71 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:30.480 to buy their Mattress there just because he's this likable old man you see him 72 00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:34.319 at the games. I'm seeing all these like memes and videos of like and 73 00:05:34.480 --> 00:05:39.160 last night's game, Bryce Harper, like I think it was in the first 74 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:44.279 inning hit like a two run homer, and there was just this video of 75 00:05:44.279 --> 00:05:47.759 Mattress back on the sidelines, like like sitting in his seat face aalt troop 76 00:05:47.879 --> 00:05:51.959 and like, Dad, I mean, I've been watching some of the playoffs, 77 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:56.800 but I did not I like did not see last night's game, and 78 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:00.399 now I'm like, I'm literally like, should I just go back and rewatch 79 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:03.680 all of the playoffs just so I can see how they've been talking about this 80 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:09.879 guy? This is his quote is like iconic. He says, I'm reading 81 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:13.800 the article. I have no fear in me. I have a high tolerance 82 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:15.879 for risk. If I lose, there's always another day. Like put that 83 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:21.279 on billboards all across Houston right now, Like that is just that is too 84 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:27.199 good man. And this is the best example I've seen who doesn't want Yes, 85 00:06:27.399 --> 00:06:30.519 this is affinity over awareness at like a hundred and fifty, Like this 86 00:06:30.600 --> 00:06:35.319 is what we should be talking about as marketers and in the B two B 87 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:40.240 spaces like these type of examples, because you can get examples from this from 88 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:45.639 anywhere really, but like when this is such a good affinity play and it's 89 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:47.680 obviously also like a local like what you're bringing up, James, Like the 90 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:51.160 Houston area is just gonna love this guy and love this story. But this 91 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:55.279 is totally doable in other ways. It doesn't just have to be sports, 92 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:59.279 but sports is so perfect for this. Yeah, I think about the seven 93 00:06:59.319 --> 00:07:06.839 year old who is growing up right now in Houston experiencing this crazy story and 94 00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:13.160 that seven year old is gonna be twenty seven one day. And the long 95 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:17.000 game play of this I don't think can be understated when you're talking, But 96 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:21.360 that's what happens when you focus on affinity, when you do things that make 97 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:30.040 people have an irrational bias toward you. These mattresses could suck like they lumpy, 98 00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:33.439 crappy mattresses, and that's not going to be how they win long term, 99 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:38.000 obviously, because you have to still have a great product. But you 100 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:43.519 just get so much grace from the market when you've done things to make the 101 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:48.199 market fall in love with you. And this old man is running the playbook 102 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:54.720 with this particular campaign to freaking perfection. Yeah, this is the story. 103 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:58.600 Like this is a story that people fall into, they find themselves into it, 104 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:00.879 and then they have like this, I want to be a part of 105 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:03.120 the story. So I want to go buy a mattress. Like if they 106 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:05.839 had gotten out in the first round of the playoffs, it still would have 107 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:09.000 been like, oh well, like, man, I'll always remember the year 108 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:11.920 I bought that mattress because like I could have got a ref you know what 109 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:15.759 I mean, Like you still could tell that story even if you never got 110 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:20.879 the refund and you're catching people. That's that's a great way. This is 111 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:26.240 such a good example of like how you do actually build affinity. You do 112 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:31.839 that by helping people find themselves in the story, Like how are they invited 113 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:37.679 into the story that you are telling? And there's this participation because mattress is 114 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:41.240 like they don't have to be high end expensive, but they're not small purchases, 115 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:43.360 you know what I mean, Like, it's not like he's selling this 116 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:46.919 just it's not a burger, it's not other things we've talked about here on 117 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:50.960 other Echo Chamber episodes that like influencers sell, mattresses are a bigger purchase than 118 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.879 that. But because of the way he's doing, anyone that's in the market 119 00:08:54.919 --> 00:09:00.240 to buy a mattress and some people that are like my mattress is a little 120 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:05.039 uncomfortable. Now they're in the market because the story is just so good that 121 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:09.000 they want to participate. And uh, man, I'm not an Astros fan. 122 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:11.440 I actually really don't like them. And now I'm like, do I 123 00:09:11.559 --> 00:09:16.480 cheer for them or do I cheer for everybody to get a refund? So 124 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:22.320 so yeah, I just think this story is fascinating and it reinforces our our 125 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:26.679 core belief here that it is all about affinity. This guy could plaster mattress 126 00:09:26.759 --> 00:09:33.519 mac billboards and get all kinds of awareness by being on all the busy highways 127 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.399 in Houston or you know that that's how you get awareness. You just gotta 128 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:41.120 be in front of people where they are. And I'm sure he would do 129 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:46.879 okay, But when you focus on affinity over awareness, it ends up creating 130 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:52.200 such massive awareness and awareness that is so much more effective because it's awareness coupled 131 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:58.399 with someone having a deep love or interest in you. And I love what 132 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:03.120 you said, Ben you about people seeing themselves in the story of it. 133 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:07.399 And even had they not had this world series run, it would still like 134 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.720 the moment you have with your kids on the couch watching the game being excited 135 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:13.639 because it's like, oh, we like, we're gonna get our bunk beds 136 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:16.679 refunded if if they win this game or if they get to the next round. 137 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:22.960 Like it creates, it creates micro moments, It creates stories for probably 138 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:28.759 tens of thousands of people, and the after effect of that is going to 139 00:10:28.840 --> 00:10:35.559 be such unreal amounts of affinity towards this man and this and his company in 140 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:39.240 a way that I literally don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Alright, 141 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:43.360 So that wraps it up today for this episode of the Echo Chamber. 142 00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:48.360 Remember there are a lot of ways to win. Commodity content is the enemy. 143 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:52.720 And if there's any other story in the world to illustrate the fact that 144 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:56.320 you should be focusing on affinity or awareness, it is the story of Mattress 145 00:10:56.440 --> 00:11:00.639 Mac. For all things b twob Growth, go to Bob a Show dot 146 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:16.320 com. Connect with us over on LinkedIn. We're out. We're always excited 147 00:11:16.360 --> 00:11:20.039 to have conversations with leaders on the front lines of marketing. If there's a 148 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:24.840 marketing director or a chief marketing officer that you think we need to have on 149 00:11:24.840 --> 00:11:28.399 the show, reach out. Email me Benji dot Block at sweet Fish Media 150 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.639 dot com. I look forward to hearing from you.