Nearly 500 industry leaders from around the world gathered at the Personal Care Products Council’s (PCPC) 120th Annual Meeting to discuss global business opportunities and emerging consumer trends, as well as to elect new officers.
Council president and CEO Lezlee Westine said the agenda mirrored the industry’s constant efforts to improve and innovate. “Each year we try to top the previous year’s conference, and we were thrilled once again to have a variety of panels and thought-provoking keynote speakers to inspire our members,” she said.
“One of the most exciting things to look forward to in 2014 is Look Good Feel Better’s 25th anniversary celebration,” said Scott Beattie, president and CEO of Elizabeth Arden and Council board chairman. He noted how effective the Council’s foundation has been in providing nearly 1.5 million women worldwide with unique workshops that improve cancer patients’ self-esteem and quality of life. “We are extremely proud of the industry’s commitment to this program and are grateful for its generous support,” Beattie said during his welcoming address.
Also at the event, keynote speaker Tony Hsieh, author of the bestseller Delivering Happiness and Zappos' CEO, kicked off the conference during the first all-attendee dinner, and Jonah Berger, James G. Campbell associate professor of marketing at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, shared topline details from his research on how to craft contagious content.
Mary G. Berner, president and CEO of The Association of Magazine Media, elaborated on how to maximize marketing allocations to compete with the constant clutter consumers are showered with. And following her discussion was a panel on how the millennial generation is shaping the present and owning the future.
The meeting's general sessions featured two panel discussions, the first with Council senior staff about the continuing and emerging issues affecting the industry. The second, moderated by Lisa Powers, Council executive vice president of public affairs and communications, focused on how to gain and maintain stakeholders’ trust. The discussions also included Michael Maslansky, CEO of Maslanksy + Partners; Scott Siff, vice chairman of Penn Schoen Berland and CEO of BAV Consulting; and Jennifer Cohan, global chair of consumer marketing for Edelman.
Rana Foroohar, a columnist with Time magazine and a global economic analyst for CNN, addressed patterns in the world economy that business leaders and investors should be focused on. Her presentation was followed by a panel discussion with executives from Mary Kay and Lubrizol regarding their individual perspectives on the international opportunities and challenges facing the industry.
Additionally, Beattie, who was re-elected to a second term as Council chairman, summarized the Council’s 2013 accomplishments, including the industry’s work with the FDA to modernize the nation’s regulatory structure.He noted successful efforts to promote international collaboration and said, “progress is being made, and we plan to add other long-term areas of cooperation to the agenda and expand it to other countries in due course.”
The Council also elected new officers, including Thia Breen of The Estée Lauder Companies, Chris Elshaw of Revlon, Deb Henretta of Procter & Gamble, and Heidi Manheimer of Shiseido to vice chairman; George Calvert of Amway to secretary; and David Holl of Mary Kay to treasurer.
