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Showing posts from May, 2010

Brand Loyalty and Tylenol

I confess to a slight measure of satisfaction on hearing the FDA is weighing (See? Measure, Weighing...Ahh, metaphorical congruity!) penalties on J & J (Johnson and Johnson). The manufacturer of Tylenol products has been found less than upfront about certain irregularities at its manufacturing plant. I remember so well trying to convince customers to save a lot simply by buying generic versions of the Tylenol brand products. The generics were often half the price for the same stuff. The vast majority of people, not having money to burn, bought the generics. But once in a while someone would come to the counter and insist on brand only, usually with a huff, saying in effect, I only buy the best! Well, I thought to myself, I remember that Tylenol poisoning thing going on (though no fault to the manufacturer) about thirty years ago. Didn't seem to hurt people's confidence in the brand. But now, given J & J's current display of quality abandonment, perhaps these people