If you think you know Parfums de Couer (PDC), think again, insist company officials. The firm, which is now operating as pdc brands, has evolved from its days as the marketer behind the Designer Imposters fragrance line.
 
“Over the last two-and-a-half years, the business has transformed from fine fragrance in US mass market to a broader beauty and wellness platform. We completely changed the product portfolio. We are in different parts of the store and talking to different customers,” CEO James Stammer told Happi.com in a phone interview.
 
A new spot for PDC is in the health care aisle by way of Dr. Teal’s Therapeutic Solutions, which it acquired from Advanced Beauty, Inc.
 
According to PDC, Dr. Teal’s is a leading brand across multiple personal care categories in food, drug and mass channels including specialty bath, foot care and first aid. In addition to its bath and body products, Dr. Teal’s is the largest branded Epsom salt brand in the US and has grown by over 50% annually during the past five years. The brand’s products are sold in more than 30,000 food, drug and mass retail outlets in the US and through several major retailers in Canada and other countries.
 
Stammer called Dr. Teal’s a “tremendous” brand, offering the rare combination of therapeutic solutions with truly experiential bath and body products.
 
And, he sees it as “perfect complement” to PDC’s other properties, namely Healing Garden and Calgon, the latter of which PDC acquired in December 2012.
 
“If you asked any 10 women over age 30 years old, about Calgon—the next thing they say is ‘take me away,’ They know it,” Stammer said. “That brand, its heritage and trademark had been underleveraged for years.”
 
Fragrance still plays a big role at pdc brands, which contends its portfolio holdsmore than a 40% unit share of women's mass-market fine fragrance and over a 30% unit share of men's mass-market fragrance. The lineup includes Designer Imposters, BodMan and Body Fantasies franchises.
 
According to Stammer, a “big social influencer” campaign for BodMan and Body Fantasies is in the works for later this year. It will talk to the heart of its customer base: 14-21 year olds.
 
“BodMan and Body Fantasies cater to young or first time beauty consumers. The first way in to beauty is through fragrance,” Stammer said, noting that PDC offers great products and accessible price points. “Mom’s not really going to say no.”
 
In the two and half years since it linked with Yellow Wood Partners, pdc has doubled its revenue and profits. Global retail sales were approximately $330 million in 2014, according to Stammer.
 
“What comes with that, is that you run out of space,” he said, noting the company’s recent move to a new corporate headquarters in Stamford.
 
Stammer recognizes that pdc brands—like all personal care companies—is fighting for a share of a person’s habits.
 
“She’s not using two fragrances at the same time and not using two shampoos at the same time. How do we get our core consumer to like our brands and stick with them for a long time? At the end of the day, that’s where we spend all of our time.”