The first advertisements for ‘Auping’s Steel Health Mattress’ contained a lot of text and no images. The slogan ‘The real Bed of the Future’ shows that even then, founder Johannes Auping was thinking ahead and was at the forefront of innovation and design.
This advert was also attached to the mesh bases as a label.

It became increasingly common to create posters with images in the early 1900s. The idea originated in France and the posters were initially used mainly as announcements for sports competitions and theatre performances.

 

This early campaign by Auping consisted of a series of advertisements designed by advertising agency van Alfen. These advertisements were cartoon-like illustrations with short poems.

At the beginning of the second world war, Auping still advertised in the increasingly thinner newspaper. The message of these advertisements focused on the counterfeiting industry that was already present at the time.

Dutch illustrator Frans Mettes brought colour to Auping’s advertising. He drew posters for Auping, starring a king, a diver, and a monkey. For decades, the posters created by Mettes, one of the greatest poster artists of the pre-computer age, defined the image of the entire country.

A comic strip with a theme that was typical of the 1950s: a woman who stayed at home to do the housework and pick out the household products and furniture, including the bed.

In the early 1960s, Auping got involved in a nationwide discussion on back problems with newspaper articles that we now know as advertorials. This is also where we first saw the Auping logo as we know it today.

The Auping logo was designed by Wim Crouwel, one of the most important post-war graphic designers of national and international fame.

 

In the year that the film of the same name was released, Auping organised a big contest. The grand prize was a 17-day trip to Egypt. Auping launched a massive advertising campaign comprised of posters, among other things.

The design classic Auronde, designed by Frans de la Haye, was introduced in 1973 with a major advertising campaign. There were flyers and advertisements, of course, all done in that typical ‘Seventies’ style. This style can be recognised not only by the use of colour, but also by the fonts.

In 1982, Auping made its first big splash on the radio with a commercial for the ‘Komfortabel bed’. In 1988, Auping released a vinyl LP with relaxation music and a recording of Sleeping Beauty, narrated especially for Auping.

The slogan ‘Auping Nights, Better Days’ started appearing in Auping advertisements in 2005. The campaigns also become considerably more modern and grandiose. The Auping Wellness bed with air massage, a special version of the successful Royal model, was even launched at the Millionaire Fair.

For the introduction of the Essential, the first completely recyclable bed in the world, Auping chose a striking campaign with a bright yellow bed. That was noticed. Auping has never shied away from using colours, back then or now. Auping is known for its carefully composed and extensive colour palette.

In 2018, Auping said goodbye to the slogan ‘Auping Nights, Better Days’ and introduced the payoff ‘Auping, with love’. Human emotion was clearly added to the brand in both words and images.

A lot more happens in your bedroom than just sleeping. It is the place where you always find each other. Where you care for and comfort each other with love. And where you celebrate life. That’s what an Auping bed was made for.

Auping not only makes its beds with great care and attention to detail, but you can also see and feel this love for beautiful things in all its advertising. The films for the Magic Moments campaign were filmed analogously to suit Auping’s handwork.

With this striking campaign we raise awareness for the enormous issue of waste caused by discarded mattresses. Every year, 1.5 million mattresses are discarded in the Netherlands alone. Many of these mattresses ended up in landfill or are incinerated, causing enormous harm to the environment. The campaign ‘The story of 1.5 million mattresses' makes consumers aware of this problem and challenges them to consider the environmental impact when buying a mattress.