Click to edit Master subtle style

Johnson & Johnson Does New MediaJohnson & Johnson Does New Media

Lessons from aLessons from a123 year old, $64 Billion123 year old, $64 BillionNew Media InnovatorNew Media Innovator

June 15, 2009June 15, 2009Ron Ploof Ron Ploof hp://ronamok.comhp://ronamok.com

Table of Contents

Summary 2An Unlikely Example 3A New Media Beginning5Kilmer House6The Corporate Blog: JNJ BTW8The JNJHealth Channel on YouTube10JNJHeath Channel Comments13But What’s the ROI?14The Strategy is Starting to Change15Looking Toward the Future15Real Time Media: Twitter16Facebook 17Timeline of Online Activities1810 Lessons19Acknowledgements, Sources, and License22About the Author 23

Introduction

New Media publishing platforms such as blogs, podcasts, onlinevideo and social networking applications like Facebook andTwitter create opportunities for companies to tell their ownstories. No longer relegated to purchasing column inches,squeezing broadcast messages into thirty-second spots, or hopingthat a pitched journalist actually gets the story right, companiesnow have a third option—to become their own publishers.Unfortunately, many companies pass on this option, succumbingto a long list of excuses that stem from perceived competitive,legal, or regulatory risks. In a litigious society, where ourcorporate communications decisions are driven by attorneysrather than our customers, conventional wisdom frequentlydictates that it is safer for a corporation to shut-up than to speak-up.As a specialist in B2B uses of New Media, I’ve heard all theexcuses. And although I can counter many of the objections, I’vealways wanted to ind a company that had plenty of reasons not touse New/Social Media, yet still lourished with it.That’s when I came upon the JNJHealth YouTube Channelproduced by Johnson & Johnson. I marveled at how aninternational healthcare company had found success on a websitefamous for hosting videos of skateboarding dogs and peoplegetting hit in the crotch. Had that been the only successful NewMedia channel that I had found, I would have been satisied. But as I dug deeper, I found other J&J New Media successes. Thecompany also wrote blogs and used services like Facebook andTwitter. By the time I inished my research and analysis, I'd piecedtogether a roadmap that ANY organization could use to create itsSocial Media strategy.This case study provides an analysis of Johnson & Johnson’sjourney into the world of New and Social Media. It discusses therisks and rewards of using various New Media channels, andinally concludes with ten points that your company shouldconsider before introducing these new technologies into itscommunications mix.Ron Ploof June 15, 2009