Mattress Brand Helps Sleepers Escape 'Daymares' in Jeff Low's Horror Film Trio

Created by New York-based agency Orchard, Casper's latest campaign, 'Daymares', taps into the many uncomfortable moments that happen when you're out and about during the daytime, and compares this with the blissful sleep provided by the brand's mattresses at night.

Across the trio of 30-second ads -- the brand's first major campaign in four years, and Orchard's debut creative -- Biscuit director Jeff Low amplifies this contrast with a horror film flourish to create a blend of humour, sophistication and emotional truth. 

After showing different jump-scares that come with being awake, the tagline for the campaign, 'Goodnight, Day', succinctly reminds the audience what Casper offers -- a night guaranteed to end well, no matter what happened before you hit the hay.

“Sleep is such an integral and restorative part of our lives, and yet our value of sleep is rarely ever matched by our concern for what we sleep on. Casper’s products deliver the best version of a night’s rest,” said David Kolbusz, Orchard's chief creative officer. “We brought this campaign to life by juxtaposing the horrors of the day – all the microaggressions to the major transgressions – with the womb-like comfort of a Casper-furnished bedroom.”

Each of the campaign’s three launch spots highlights a unique 'daymare':

In 'Birthday Boy', a man endures an awkward birthday celebration at a themed restaurant where the restaurant’s intimidating mascot stares him down. In 'Crowded', a woman is uncomfortably pushed to the back of a claustrophobic elevator as an alarm goes off. And in 'Poor Connections',  a businessman struggles through a frozen video call, repeatedly asking if anyone can hear him. The tension dissolves in all three as the scenes cut to the protagonists resting peacefully on their Casper mattresses.

“We learned that, for a lot of people, sleep has become unnecessarily complicated. The category is full of gadgets and products that promise more control, but often just add more stress,” said Kirstie Maryott, head of strategy, at Orchard. “We saw an opportunity to flip that. Casper makes getting great sleep simple, and the one part of your day you can actually rely on. So we brought that to life by contrasting the unpredictability of the day with the certainty of a great night’s sleep you get on a Casper.”

Long a staple in the sleep space, 'Daymares' aims to reestablish Casper as the leader in superior sleep after a hiatus from major brand campaigns. The campaign will live across OTT and digital, and marks Orchard’s first work for Casper.