In: Operations Management
Background: Johnson & Johnson is a global market leader when it comes to Baby products including Wipes & Toiletries (Shampoo, Conditioner, Powder, Moisturizer)
Situation: A recent accusation was risen against J&J highlighting that their products contain Talcum Powder which contains cancerous substances which later-on reflect onto the baby after usage. This accusation was scientifically proven to be FALSE. However, effect of worldwide media negatively impacted the general perception of consumers & thus, is still resulting in J&J shares decline. One vital market where this accusation was blown out of proportion is India. The average Indian consumer is believed to avoid any J&J product today as a result of the false news.
Question: What can J&J propose as a long-lasting, sustainable solution, in terms of population awareness in the UAE in order to bring back the faith of the Indian consumer and win them over again from competitors?
HINT: A good example would be the way Coca Cola advertisements & commercials appeal to sympathy & emotions, giving consumers the perception that they care on a personal level.
Whenever any organization faces the situation as mentioned in the given case, the role of the Customer relationship department and its PR department becomes quite crucial. These two departments must work together to create a greater awareness of the product quality and downplaying the negative news or publicity in the media.
In order to overcome this situation and to win the trust of the customers, the company has to do the following initiatives=
The company needs to advertise the quality standards maintained by the company in its production. This can be done by showing the reports of international acclaimed organizations keeping the eye on the production standards.
The company can also issue the letter to the common citizens indicating the different actions that have been taken by the company to have enhanced quality of its products
The company should also show the production process and standards made in the advertisement. This can be done more effectively with the help of TV commercials.
The PR department has to conduct regular press briefing and issue a regular press release in order to prevent any kind of negative publicity and propagate the positive image of the company
The company must send personal messages and emails to the customers indicating them the improved quality standards