On My Way Back from the Ashram

Maybe it's time to try something new!

The creased shirt symbolized the everyday rituals . The loose tie hung like a burden on the shoulders. All of a sudden i saw myself getting old before time, the mirrors in the restrooms don’t lie. I moved back and walked out of the restroom with the a sudden realization of being sixty at the age of thirty. As i walked back to meeting room, i realized there were no mirrors in there and thus no real me.The only thing that never changed was the shadow . The only ray of revival was in the shadow.

The existential angst forced me to pick up my car keys and head out of the premises in the search of moral redemption. I drove on the outskirts and pulled the breaks on the roadside. Smashing the door my eyes searched for serenity. Watching the vehicles cross by i realised the standstill. The scorching sun was burning up my skin. Searching for the supreme panacea my eyes stopped over a mystical garden leading to a beautiful house glorifying medieval art. As i moved forward i heard the wind chimes echoing endlessly. The vibrations were a mysterious call to get inside. I knocked on the gate repetitively, my inquisitivity pushed me inside . As i stepped on the first stair an aroma of calmness struck my conscience. The house turned from being mystical to exotic. I entered in with hesitation and to my astonishment found a hall full of people practicing meditation.

The hall was filled up with sunlight beaming at the centre. The peace i encountered made me stand for a while and observe. As i contemplated the inertia in the hall i fell deeper in the tranquility of the hall. Walking through the midway i reached the centre and looked up to the sunlight. The scorching sun turned to warm and consoling. The sunlight touched me with a gentle touch. The peace pampered my anxiety and turned it into silence. I held the posture of meditation for a moment and closed my eyes. The time passed by and i skipped a few hours. I hurried back to the exit and observed someone standing at the door. While i tried to find out the someone, the voice from the other side reached for me saying “ Thanks for coming” and i passed by.

I turned the keys and turned the wheels to the road. Through the windshield i saw myself driving into the sunset. The world became beautiful,the aroma was still there. The echos of the wind chimes resonated inside me. The warmth of the sunlight was still there. One of the vital change was in the rear view mirror, the grin was replaced by a smile.

A 2 Minute drive in the garden of Crisis Management.

This Case study will keep up your faith in 

Corporate Comebacks.

One day a sculptor wakes up to find out that one of his favorite arts had been disfigured by someone before it reached a buyer . The addition to the morning is the demand associated with the sculpture and thus poses a great threat to his art collection.

This whole sentence as a metaphor can be linked to the series of events that unfolded on September 29, 1982. The sculptor was none other than Johnson & Johnson, and the masterpiece was Tylenol. Three people died in the Chicago area after taking cyanide-laced Tylenol at the outset of a poisoning chain that would name to itself seven lives by October 1. Just before you move any further let’s take a look at the demand side of Tylenol. Johnson & Johnson's Tylenol medication commanded 35 percent of the US analgesic market - representing almost 15 percent of the company's profits. A storm with a threshold of wiping away $1 Billion was knocking on J&J’s door.

Meanwhile in J&J’s office sat a man who was seeing all this unfold in front of his eyes. James.E.Burke, Chief Executive Officer of J&J was accessing every news opinion as a heavy blow on the brand image and consumer faith over the company. The crisis had to be addressed before the last straw on the camel’s back. James.E.Burke’s corporate self sacrifice, decisiveness and crisis management held the post strong for the raging storm.

The two core problems in front of J&J were to first deal with the crisis without destroying the company image and providing a better product protection to avert future mishaps. Not only this at the same time the depreciating market value was also a constant blow on J&J’s future. To handle this J&J stuck to it’s motto of customer above all. The product was reintroduced in market with Triple seal tamper resistant packaging as a reassurance to the consumer belief. As a part of re-targeting and re-acquisition of customers a $2.50 coupon was provided through multi channel approach.The sales team reconfigured its customer approach to renovate the organization's image. A 25 % off was introduced on product purchase to boost stock value. Thus the organization regained it’s almost 70% market share by reinstating the value in consumer’s heart.

In a nutshell, the crisis management provided good example of product development in a short span of time, a brand boosting market strategy and a customer first approach. In short, a crisis turned into opportunity. And this is how the sculptor saved the day by revamping the artifacts and filling the buyer’s subconscious with an even better imagination. Thus, one art may destroy the art collection or make way to a whole new gallery.