Johnson & Johnson: one of the most well respected, beloved companies in the world.
Their movement into the Beijing Olympics: lovely.
J&J was the ninth official sponsor of the Beijing Olympics. They are sticking to their values of promoting health and well-being by not only supporting Olympics athletes and medical staff with training, products and services, but also by working to better the health of families in China in general. Here in a sample of just some of the many initiatives J&J is putting into action for their Olympic Movement:
BAND-AID Brand Olympics Education Campaign
Is an initiative to teach, inspire, and motivate young people. Volunteers, along with 800,000 sets of posters, will be sent to elementary and secondary schools around China to help 400 million students learn about the values that [should] define the Olympics. They will also teach basics of health and wound care.
Oral Care
Will provide free dental products to 1600 athletes from underdeveloped countries including REACH toothbrushes and LISTERINE mouthwash.
Medical Training
Is the official volunteer training center of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. They will help 80 Chinese physicians and 2000 medical personnel prepare for the Olympics.
The iVillage Family Room
Partnering with iVillage, this site began on March 3, 2008 and follows the lives of Olympics hopefuls Tina Ellertson (Soccer); twin brothers Paul & Morgan Hamm (Gymnastics); Reese Hoffa (Track & Field); Chellsie Memmel (Gymnastics); siblings Steve & Katie Mocco (Wrestling & Judo); and Lauryn Williams (Track & Field). The webisodes will continue to follow the lives of them and their families for 5 months, until this week when the Beijing Olympics begin. There are also blogs, social networking, and forum to check out.
What I love most about J&J's campaign, or movement as they are calling it, is that this is not a "let's sponsor the Olympics, improve our image (which hardly needs improving anyway) and then get out". Rather, their budget for China is increasing for the Olympics, which they are using as a stepping stone for further ventures in China. They will then continue to have a larger presence (and larger budget) in China so as to leverage those 1.3 billion people. This not only benefits J&J, but will hopefully contribute to China's economy after the Olympics are done and other sponsors pack up their bags and leave.
An unfortunate wrinkle, from all aspects and for all sponsors, is the controversy involved around the violence and human rights violations in China (see previous entries regarding online brand health). Pressure is being put on corporations to wield influence over China to initiate change (since the top 12 global sponsors have a GDP as big as Canada's). However, with J&J's initiative focusing on the improvement of health and well being, could it be that they are working toward improvement by sponsoring the Games rather than withdrawing? Let's see what they say.
In the words of Johnson & Johnson: Yin Ai Er Sheng ("Because we care, we act")
*Be sure to check out some of these other promoters of health, well being, and safety at the 2008 Beijing Olympics*
1 comment:
Just wanted to say thanks for sharing this example - it's a great one for mission aligning with work.
I think United Way is another good example to point to - their brand toolkit is at once flexible and meaningful. Their "give, advocate, volunteer" messages are as relevant on an emergency recovery fund drive as they are in a gay pride parade.
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