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Management
The Pursuit of Wow
By: Abby Penning
Posted: May 3, 2011, from the May 2011 issue of GCI Magazine.
Ingrid Jackel, CEO and chairwoman of Physicians Formula.
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Becoming stagnant is not an option for Jackel or Physicians Formula. “We thrive through newness,” she says, estimating that 35–45% of the company’s sales each year are from new products. And with such a commitment to innovation, the company also is very focused on strategically growing. “Because we are so innovation intensive, we tend to expand into adjacent categories,” Jackel explains, noting that the company currently offers a limited amount of lip products because it wants to have a significant impact when they do launch something new. “We don’t want to launch just another mauve lipstick,” she says. “We want to maintain the purity of our focus on innovation.”As the brand begins to reach a more global audience—expanding into Canada, Latin America, Europe, Australia and South Africa—staying true to the principles that have made the brand and the company strong to this point are at the forefront of Jackel’s considerations. “Our tagline—‘Your beauty. Our passion. We promise.’—is about conveying the passion of the people working behind the brand to consumers,” she says. “It’s about a promise we make to help our customers, and that, to us, is a meaningful commitment.”
