August 9, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Johnson & Johnson’s lawsuit against the American Red Cross is creating quite a bit of buzz among blog writers.
But a lot of the discussions are coming from blogs that typically don’t cover philanthropy.
Men’s Health — known mostly for tips on firming up one’s abs — explores the topic on its MH Today Blog between posts titled “Plump Woman Seeks Chubby Guy” and “The Fitness Question”.
Ploafmaster General, a blog written by self-described “Christian leftist eccentric” Daniel C. Warshaw, blasts Johnson & Johnson for suing the charity.
“Way to go, Johnson and Johnson. Sue the charity. You look great doing it,” writes Mr. Warshaw. “You look great fussing your way right into the Corporate Embarrassment Hall of Fame.”
Meanwhile, the marketing expert Seth Godin, on his popular Seth Godin’s Blog, offers the opposite opinion, saying the Red Cross is in the wrong.
Mr. Godin writes that instead of complaining about the lawsuit, Mark Everson. president of the Red Cross, should offer an apology and stop licensing products that violate the charity’s longstanding agreement with Johnson & Johnson.
“J& J is a good corporate citizen, a significant donor to the Red Cross and the original and rightful owner of the trademark,” he writes.
What do you think? Is Johnson & Johnson making a smart business move to try to block the American Red Cross’s licensing program? Or is the company unfairly stopping a charity from fulfilling its mission?
Click on the comments link below this post to share your thoughts.
