Why is Koala’s the Bed Sofa campaign so good?

Tayla Foster
By Tayla Foster | 11 January 2023

Australian furniture brand Koala released the Bed Sofa, 80% Bed, 80% Sofa, designed to deliver an optimum experience for both sitting and sleeping.

In December, 2022, the furniture brand teamed up with creative agency Thinkerbell for a campaign that highlights the new category of furniture and represents Koala’s seven years of research and development.

Creatives at Thinkerbell revolved the words ‘Sofa’ and ‘Bed’ around one another throughout the campaign to prove that with the 80% Bed and 80% sofa, they are one in the same and the comfortable alternative for overnight guests who want to avoid waking up with a stiff back.

James Whitta, Koala’s VP of product design and inventor of the Bed Sofa said: “The need for hybrid furniture has always existed - Koala’s Bed Sofa approaches it from a new perspective - one that put’s sleep at the forefront."

AdNews spoke with creative director at Innocean Damon Porter and with group creative director at Mediabrands Content Studio, Luke Simkins.

Damon Porter wonders why he hasn’t seen such a simple yet clever concept before.

“With a simple flip of words, suddenly you have a super smart, and very scalable idea; an idea that solves a decades’ old problem, while simultaneously inventing a new category - in just two words," he said.

"Hats off to the creatives behind the campaign - it was really one of those ‘how has this not been done before?’ ideas.”

Luke Simkins says the effortless tweak of the wording allowed for some truly fun tongue in cheek work.

“I think the smart thing about this actually comes from the name," he said.

"We have a pre-conceived idea of a ‘sofa bed’ and that is immediately tweaked the second you switch the words around.

“I’m not sure if switching the name was Thinkerbell’s idea but having worked with the good folk over there on a few projects it wouldn’t surprise me at all.

“Once that simple switch is made the door is wide open to do some fun, tongue in cheek work that I’m sure will get a smile from the audience without creating tears from the finance department for being a very costly commercial. Well played.”

 

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