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38 November 2016 | beautystorebusiness.com the No. 1 men's brand in the 1950s, featuring hair tonics, shave creams and aftershaves. Noting the changing times we live in, Murphy observes, "Some of the [Lucky Tiger] ads that we have had over the years in Esquire magazine really point out the fact that we're a men's brand…a lot of the ads you couldn't run today!" This diverse brand has every- thing from classic barbershop favorites to contemporary natural products for at-home use. Acquired in 2014, the Triple Lanolin products feature lanolin-, aloe vera- and cocoa butter-based creams and lotions. Murphy explains, "I kind of take it for granted that everyone knows this, but lanolin is derived from sheep and has strong waterproofing properties. Sheep shearers have some of the softest hands around. All of our brands are legacy products that have been proven with time and have that classic, nostalgic message behind it." A winning feature that resonates with customers is the fact that BlueCo's men's brands are authentically designed for men. Murphy explains that today's rap- idly expanding men's market finds many companies guilty of taking their existing women's lines and simply placing dif- ferent labels on the products or putting a new spin on those lines and calling them men's products. "We are able to differentiate ourselves because we use natural products and are a 100-percent, male-focused company," he says. Heritage branding and quality products are the standout common denominators in BlueCo's entire portfolio—and certainly a large factor in the company's success. Moving forward, BlueCo plans to promote its current brands while continuing to add new products based on customer feedback and the potential for other brands to fit into the company's portfolio. WHAT MAKES BLUEC0 WIN? Success has been—and continues to be—sweet for BlueCo Brands. Yet, Mur- phy is not one to take sole credit for the company's growth or get complacent about its future. Even with a formi- dable legacy portfolio, he knows that BlueCo's perfomance equally depends on its employees. Murphy humbly admits that he can't—and doesn't—do it alone, noting that he recruits and hires the very best people to create a solid team. "Each individual on the team brings in their core competencies and makes our entire team better. It's just not the leadership, it's our warehouse team, our customer service individuals—they are the voices of our company," he explains. Murphy is also quick to give credit to the company's manufacturing representatives who pro- mote BlueCo's brands nationwide and beyond, calling them highly influential and great mentors. CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SOCIAL MEDIA Listening to and spending time with its customers is another key to BlueCo Brands' success. "I absolutely love being with our customers," says Murphy enthusiastically. "Our company is successful based upon the voice of the customer and being in front of our customers." That's why Murphy believes every company should use social media to its benefit. Specifically, BlueCo views social "I absolutely love being with our customers. Our company is successful based upon the voice of the customer and being in front of our customers." —Alan Murphy, president, BlueCo Brands King Talc getluckytiger.com/ products/king-talc Barbicide barbicide.com Dy-Zoff dyzoff.com Lucky Tiger getluckytiger.com Ship-Shape shipshapecleaner.com Triple Lanolin triplelanolin.com Clippercide barbicide.com/products/ clippercide Images courtesy of BlueCoBrands Continued from page 35 A "tamer" Lucky Tiger vintage ad from Esquire.