Pfizer's PR Chief: How In the Hell Do We Have Such a Bad Reputation?

Kerins first blames himself and his industry for its bad reputation, then explains his solution: he and his staff will attempt to spend 50% of their time in the company of journalists (a goal that impacts compensation). His team’s current estimate is 15%–actually a high number for most corporate PR departments.

So far he estimates 115 journalists have enjoyed this “engage and educate” strategy (in 2008) with apparently no agenda, no story pitching, and no execs present.

We’re checking with sources in pharma PR to see if this humanly possible in a such a highly regulated, command-and-control industry.