This
paper explains that
companies often encounter
ethical issues and product problems, which open them to criticism and challenge; therefore, the way they handle the issue can help or hinder their public relations process and the
image the public has of the company. The author points out that, in general, companies, which take
responsibility quickly and work to get out all the facts, fare better than those that
stonewall, which for many executives seems to be their first action as in the case of both Merck and its product VIOXX, Pfizer and its product Celebrex. The paper praises Johnson & Johnson's Direct-to-the-
Consumer (DTC) marketing campaign because it shows concern for what concerns its customers and offering the consumer information to be used in making decisions; however, the same danger applies if a problem erupts, but the strategy fits well with current public attitudes and with business methods that burnish a company's image.