News: Caswell-Massey Poised to Expand

[cedriceccentric]

WWD.com

Caswell-Massey Poised to Expand
By Matthew W. Evans

NEW YORK ÷ Caswell-Massey, the personal care brand that was founded 253 years ago in Newport, R.I., has regained its independence after ending an 18-month alliance with BFMA Holdings and is now poised for growth.

After acquiring the $20 million brand in July 2003, the Pompano Beach, Fla.-based BFMA has spun off the personal care company into Caswell-Massey Holding Co.

Caswell-Masseyâs top executives have stated that their goal is to triple the firmâs revenues in the next five years.

Fresh off the relaunch of its menâs shaving line, called 1752, Caswell-Massey is relaunching its Greenbriar menâs fragrance collection. Set to debut next month, the line will feature a new scent with citrus, floral and woody accords. Also, a new SPF 30 face and body lotion is being added to Greenbriar, bringing the line up to seven items, including two kits. The collection ranges in price from $7.50 for a bar of soap to $69.99 for the so-called Masters Collection, a cologne, aftershave, lotion and soap all packaged together.



Greenbriar has been repackaged and features rectangular green glass bottles with a ribbed texture. The outer packaging design features a Twenties-era golfer on an argyle background, which replaces a Caswell-Massey emblem design.

Caswell-Masseyâs full assortment of some 1,300 menâs and womenâs stockkeeping units are distributed through four main channels: the firmâs 13 freestanding stores; its catalogue business; a company Web site, and about 2,000 wholesale doors including Ulta, L.L. Bean and Anthropologie. The extensive product lineup is divided into numerous menâs and womenâs personal care subcollections. Caswell-Masseyâs full menâs assortment of 400 products generates 35 percent of the firmâs business.

Barry Florescue, chairman and chief executive officer of Caswell-Massey ÷ who oversaw the Caswell-Massey acquisition 18 months ago as ceo of BFMA ÷ established a direction for the brand by naming Edward J. Coleman as the new president and chief operating officer in the fall.

Florescue was ceo of BFMA when it acquired Caswell-Massey and subsequently devoted himself to running Caswell-Massey when he spun it off.

Coleman, 57, succeeded Wayne Garten who had been named president and chief operating officer last January. After five months, though, he was recruited to the post of president and ceo of Hanover Direct Inc., the multibrand, multichannel direct marketer.

Coleman, so far, has overseen the relaunch of the brandâs 20-year-old shave line, called 1752. He said the menâs grooming market ãalready has come into its own. Itâs a significant opportunity.ä The 31-sku collection has been repackaged, with burgundy packaging giving way to tan graphics on black backgrounds. A new, unscented group of products has been added to the line, which features existing almond and sandalwood fragrance families.

1752 is grouped into products such as shave creams and an aftershave balm, which are priced from $9 to $16; implements such as a razor handle and a badger hair brush, which are priced from $5 to $35, and kits for between $19.99 and $69.99, which include both the pre- and post-shave products and the implements.

ãItâs our way of leveraging the companyâs history while staying current with the menâs grooming market,ä Candiss Lynch, director of marketing for Caswell-Massey, said of the relaunch of 1752 ÷ named for the year the brand was founded. Greenbriar and 1752 are among Caswell-Masseyâs seven major menâs lines. The other five are Newport, Almond & Aloe, Sandalwood, Number Six and Jockey Club.

[knightowl]

Does the Greenbriar juice stay the same?

[DustB]

Fantastic. I look forward to watching renewal at this now fatigued American house. It has good products and can take advantage of them.
--Chris

[BradtheImpaler]

Does the Greenbriar juice stay the same?

CM store manager told me last month that it was decided NOT to change the fragrance, but just the packaging. (The new catalogue seems to imply the fragrance is new but this may be misleading) One thing for sure is it's almost twice as expensive - 1.7oz for about the same as the old 3oz. However, their website is getting rid of the old packaged GB at HALF PRICE - (3oz for unbelievable $13.00)

Stock up if you like it...

[AZsmells]

I only see the Greenbriar aftershave for $13.

[BradtheImpaler]

I only see the Greenbriar aftershave for $13.

Yep, you're right - too late! But a/s is good, no?

[evogel]

Interestingly, the new CM catalog shows they now carry 2 Lorenzo Villoresi fragrances! I'm very surprised at this and I have to wonder how many people will be ordering this from them at that price, possibly without sampling?


Eric

[MJH]

Interestingly, the new CM catalog shows they now carry 2 Lorenzo Villoresi fragrances!

They're also one of the few stockists of Knize Ten (which I love).

I'm glad to hear they're only changing the packaging for Greenbriar: it's one of my favorite C-M scents (after Persian Leather).

[magnnum]

[quote author=evogel link=board=fragdisc;num=1107043583;start=0#6 date=1107651425] Interestingly, the new CM catalog shows they now carry 2 Lorenzo Villoresi fragrances!

<br>They're also one of the few stockists of Knize Ten (which I love). *<br><br>I'm glad to hear they're only changing the packaging for Greenbriar: it's one of my favorite C-M scents (after Persian Leather). [/quote]

Unfortunately the Greenbriar juice was altered in addition to the packaging, how ruinous!

[Ronald]

Fantastic. *I look forward to watching renewal at this now fatigued American house. *It has good products and can take advantage of them.<br>--Chris

I'll second that emotion... I haven't been impressed at all by C-M fragrances, nor their shaving line -- seems like drugstore-caliber stuff.

-R

[scentimus]

Funny I live in Rhode Island and we do not even have a Caswell Massey store in Newport where it was founded. :-/

[mackgm]

I am extremely disappointed that CM changed the scent of original Greenbriar. I used original Greenbriar for about 18 years. I've tried the new one and poured it out - it smells cheap. I've also written two letters to the president 9neither of which has yet been answered) expressing my disappointment. On advice from a BN member (supporter?) I'm trying Antaeus, which should be arriving tomorrow.
Gene

[Echo777]

I am extremely disappointed that CM changed the scent of original Greenbriar. I used original Greenbriar for about 18 years. I've tried the new one and poured it out - it smells cheap. I've also written two letters to the president 9neither of which has yet been answered) expressing my disappointment. On advice from a BN member (supporter?) I'm trying Antaeus, which should be arriving tomorrow.
Gene

Antaeus, while great, doesn't have that much resemblence to Original Greenbriar. In my opinion...

[MisterK]

Antaeus, while great, doesn't have that much resemblence to Original Greenbriar. In my opinion...

I'm probably the one prompting the comparison to Antaeus. :bounce:

Ye olde Greenbriar definitely had a ... well, greenness which Antaeus lacks. The old stuff comes off a bit stronger than Antaeus but shares in common an herbal core. The base in Antaeus is honey (beeswax) + frankincense while the base in old Greenbriar is ambery. Antaeus is pretty subtle on my skin, while old Greenbriar has pretty good siliage. Both are fantastic and great year round.

All of this is IMHO of course and might be skin dependent, but the similarities were obvious on my skin.

Heaven knows why CM decided to nix the old stuff. I think they could have released the new stuff as another fragrance. It is not like they have a lot of counter space they are paying retailers for. This is just marketing madness/laziness.

I even think they should have kept the old Newport (even though I think it is too barbershopy and similar to Jockey Club).

With the death of old Greenbriar and Nobile, two of the better herbals have passed into oblivion.