@Ease

Campbell's initiative followed his appointment as chairman and CEO in 1995, replacing Mueller in the leadership role. In 1996, the company changed its corporate name to Florsheim Group Inc. to reflect the multi-brand strategy. The @Ease launch was part of a broader product diversification plan that included FLS (dress-casual offering) and Florsheim Imperial (less expensive dress shoe), all designed to protect the core Florsheim brand while pursuing different market segments.

The @Ease brand addressed a specific demographic challenge facing Florsheim in the mid-1990s. Campbell noted that "Florsheim has got the image of 'my father is Florsheim,'" and the brand appeared "somewhat intimidating towards a younger consumer." The @Ease line's positioning aimed to eliminate these barriers by creating a distinct identity separate from the parent company's dress shoe heritage.

The casual footwear line competed in a different price segment than traditional Florsheim offerings, with all styles priced below $50. This pricing strategy placed @Ease in the accessible casual shoe market while Florsheim's core dress shoes commanded higher price points. The brand targeted men of different ages and income levels than the typical 48-year-old businessman who purchased Florsheim dress shoes.

In 1998, Florsheim opened a dedicated chain of @Ease retail stores. The standalone stores catered specifically to the 20-35 male demographic and deliberately distanced themselves from Florsheim's "stodgier connotations." This retail strategy created physical separation between the two brands while allowing the company to test different merchandising approaches.

To increase store traffic and appeal to younger consumers, both Florsheim and @Ease retail outlets began carrying competitors' footwear brands. The stores stocked popular youth-oriented brands including Timberland and Doc Martens, a significant strategic shift for a company that had traditionally sold only its own products.

The @Ease brand launch formed part of Campbell's comprehensive diversification strategy implemented between 1996-1997. Alongside @Ease, the company introduced FLS as a dress-casual offering and Florsheim Imperial as a less expensive dress shoe line. These sub-brands served as protective mechanisms that allowed Florsheim to pursue product diversification without diluting the core brand equity.

The multi-brand approach reflected a common retail strategy of the 1990s, where established companies created separate brands to reach different demographic segments. By keeping the @Ease name distinct from Florsheim, the company could compete in the casual footwear market while preserving the parent brand's association with traditional dress shoes and professional footwear.