Pfizer Makes a Bold Move

In today's tough economic times we've seen many companies try to exploit America's weaknesses to enhance their declining business. Fast food companies in particular have tried to arise sympathy from the public by packaging special low-priced deals to make American residents feel like these companies are on their side.
We've seen KFC, Taco Bell and Mcdonalds put out their dollar-meal menus, all to spread the same message: "we know you're poor, and food is probably hard to come by, so you have no reason not to sacrifice your health and open up your checkbook to buy our low-priced junk food".

Now, however, Pfizer (a leading pharmaceutical company with a history of solid public relations for those not familiar) has one-upped all these offers. They have promised to provide over 70 different primary care prescription drugs to citizens at no cost as long as they have lost their job in 2009 and as a result have lost their health benefits (this according to a recent article in Advertising Age). Eligible members must have been taking the selected drug for at least three months prior to losing their job.

This is huge and brilliant at the same time. While the Obama administration spends their late nights trying to figure out what product to tax to be able to nationalize health care (soda was the latest idea), Pfizer has stepped up to the plate and given the government a hand during these tough times. Most importantly, the amount of attention and publicity Pfizer will receive for this move will most definitely drive their profit levels through the roof despite the fact that they are giving away free products.

This is a great example of leadership coming from a non-governmental source, so much so that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has sat in as a contributor on many of Pfizer's town-hall style meetings regarding the health care situation.

This is what the United States truly needs in times like these. The government cannot do everything, and by stepping up to the plate and lending a helping hand, Pfizer is only improving its own image and standing as a health care leader in the US, a huge area of concern for a country that now finds itself with many different issues to worry about.

So props to Pfizer for both aiding the country while simultaneously building themselves up. Hopefully companies in other industries will follow suit (in fact some car companies have taken similar measures, picking up car payments temporarily for car owners who lose their jobs and can no longer afford the payments...more on that later).

What industry do you, if you are reading this, think can be the next to step up and execute a similar plan beneficial to a current problem the US is facing?