Brand Image

So what is a brand image?

Tom Klein describes it perfectly.

“ Like a person, a brand has individual values, physical features, personality, and character. Like a story, a brand has characters, setting, and a plot. Like a friend, a brand offers a personal relationship, one that—in the best-case scenario—evolves as you do.”

So what is Johnson & Johnson’s brand image?

I would say that they have a very positive brand image. In their credo, it states that as a company, their first and number one responsibility is to the doctors, nurses, patients, mothers, fathers, employees, communities, and stockholders. Their credo challenges them to put the needs and well-being of the people they serve first. Therefore, Johnson & Johnson wants their image to be very friendly. Their main concern is helping those they serve; their publics. Johnson & Johnson looks at those they serve as one big family, and a family must stick together and always help one another out.

When I think of Johnson & Johnson, I associate them with a company that is trying to make the world a better place in every aspect they can. This is shown through the products they discover and develop, the positions they take on with public policy issues, the way they run their business every day, and the programs and alliances they build and join. Johnson & Johnson is able to build positive brand recognition among their publics by keeping their working conditions clean, friendly, orderly and of course safe. Johnson & Johnson also joins with their partners to help mothers and infants survive childbirth, support doctors, nurses and local leaders as they work to provide the best medical care to their people, and educate communities on how to reduce their risk of infection from preventable diseases.

The desire to make people healthier and safer is at the heart of their Company’s giving. That is the image that comes to mind when thinking of Johnson & Johnson; that is their brand image. All in all, Johnson & Johnson is trying to convey that they are a reputable company, with the needs of those they serve first.

What we have to remember, is that public relations plays a LARGE role in maintaining a company’s reputable and positive brand image. (Although PR professionals tend to remain behind the scenes, we have to remember to give them credit!!)

• One strategy that the PR people of Johnson & Johnson do is that they have an "our stories" page on their website which allows people to share with Johnson & Johnson how their companies’ products have made a difference in their lives. The people “talk candidly about their pain, frustration, challenges and victories. And our employees share their stories, too.” By doing this, Johnson & Johnson allows their publics to feel connected to them by sharing their stories. This also shows the publics that Johnson & Johnson really does care, and that they are a friendly company and one that reaches out.
• Johnson & Johnson also "gives" to all communities in need by supporting community-based programs that improve health and well being. - Johnson & Johnson launched a campaign in 2002 to encourage more young adults to pursue a career in nursing. The goals of this campaign were to “enhance the image of the nursing profession, recruit new nurses and nurse educators, and to retain nurses currently in the system. With more nurses they are helping the well-being of their communities they serve.
• One of Johnson & Johnson's main purposes is to improve the health and well-being of families, and in order to fulfill this goal, they must protect the environment in which they work and live. Johnson & Johnson feels as though they have the responsibility to take care of our planet, and preserve its beauty, resources, and strength for future generations. They are a very environmentally friendly organization and that makes their brand even stronger and more reputable.

Johnson & Johnson doesn't only have a good PR team, they also display their PR campaigns and strategies well; whether it's on their websites, through articles or press releases. They are constantly updating their publics with their recent endeavors and showing the world that they are in it for them.

Good job Johnson & Johnson. You have a good brand image!!!!

Crisis Management

"The PR industry has an important role to play in helping companies identify and manage risks that could damage their reputation." - Nick Purdom of PR Week

THE TYLENOL CRISIS of 1982

In October of 1982, Tylenol faced a tremendous crisis when 7 people in Chicago were reported dead after taking extra-strength Tylenol capsules.

At the time Tylenol was the leading pain-killer medicine in the United States, and therefore this was a BIG and scary deal and if it wasn’t handled correctly, it could have been Johnson & Johnson’s initial downfall and reputation killer.

It was reported that an unknown suspect(s) put 65 milligrams of deadly cyanide into Tylenol capsules, 10,000 more than what is necessary to kill a human. The tampering occurred once the product reached the shelves. The unknown suspect(s) removed the Tylenol from the shelves, infected it with cyanide and then returned them to the shelves.

In 1982, Tylenol controlled 37 % of its market with revenue of about $1.2 million. Immediately after the cyanide poisonings, its market share was reduced to 7 %.

WHAT DID JOHNSON & JOHNSON DO?...

Reacting to the News

When Johnson and Johnson was faced with the initial situation, the CEO at the time, James Burke, had to make some tough decisions that would severely impact the future of the company. Rather than think in financial terms, however, Burke immediately turned to the company's Credo.

"We believe our first responsibility is to doctors, nurses, and patients, to mothers and fathers and all others who use our products and service."

With this as its inspiration, Johnson & Johnson used the media to promptly begin alerting people of the potential dangers of the product. It dispatched scientists to determine the source of the tampering.

Setting a New Standard

Johnson and Johnson then made a decision that would set a new standard for crises involving product tampering. The company ordered a massive recall of more than 31 million bottles at a cost of more than $100 million. It also temporarily ceased all production of capsules and replaced them with more tamper-resistant caplets. This type of drastic response had never been attempted, which prompted much criticism. However, Johnson and Johnson stood firm behind its decision - and for good reason. The company was able to use the crisis to demonstrate to their customers/stakeholders their commitment to customer safety and to the quality of the Tylenol product. In addition, the company's willingness to be open with the public and communicate with the media helped the company maintain a high level of credibility and customer trust throughout the incident. Burke also maintained a high profile and repeatedly assured the public of the company's commitment to its customers' safety.

2 Thumbs up…

Although Johnson & Johnson knew they were not responsible for the tampering of the product, they assumed responsibility and that is why this crisis turned out so successful. The company reacted immediately, they recalled the product and they also had the CEO constantly involved with updates and news. Those are 3 of the most important and effective ways a company can handle a crisis. Although Johnson & Johnson’s stock fell 7% following the crisis, they were not going to allow these hard times to last. The company aired commercials within days to regain the public's trust, and a month after the recall, the company embarked on an aggressive campaign to rebuild the Tylenol brand and reintroduce the product to the market. In November, it promised to have the product back on the shelves in a new triple-tamper-resistant package by the end of the year; which would be the first of its kind. Johnson & Johnson offered incentives, such as a free replacement of caplets for the capsules and special coupons, to try to maintain its customer base. The company's attempts were successful, and by the following spring, Johnson and Johnson had regained its previous market share.

In this case, I honestly would not have done anything differently. Johnson & Johnson took the crisis head on and succeeded with flying colors. They were able to rebuild their trust with their customers and stakeholders and also become more triumphant in the years to follow. Other companies, when trying to handle a crisis or even come up with a crisis plan should look to the Johnson & Johnson's Tylenol Crisis for advice. The only thing I could say is that if Johnson & Johnson didn't have a crisis plan ready in 1982, I hope they implemented one soon after so that dealing with such an issue/crisis could be even easier next time.

CONGRATULATIONS J&J.... you passed the test =)