Via FN : Iconic comfort brand Dr. Scholl’s is getting a major overhaul.

Encouraged by the buzz about wellness these days, parent company Brown Shoe Co. is building up the brand, using the Original Exercise Sandal to create a modern lifestyle collection. In the coming season, Dr. Scholl’s will undergo a makeover, including updated product, fresh packaging and its first consumer magazine campaign. Even the brand’s name has been changed from Original Dr. Scholl’s to Dr. Scholl’s Shoes, emphasizing the breadth of the new collection.

“We always traded as a comfort brand,” said Keith Duplain, SVP and GM of Dr. Scholl’s Shoes. “We’re reimagining it, not reinventing it. We’re putting our energy and resources into what’s already there. Every now and then, you have to make sure you are true to who you are in a way that takes you forward.”

To better understand what today’s active consumers are looking for, executives at Dr. Scholl’s conducted extensive consumer research in early 2010. They discovered that consumers wanted footwear to comfortably take them through a busy day, said Maureen McCann, VP of wholesale marketing for Brown Shoe Wholesale. And though age didn’t play a large role, an active lifestyle did. “They have an optimistic, energetic spirit,” she said.( Continued on the next page)