American companies with public relations issues have historically turned to celebrities and athletes for advertising help to improve their image or promote their product. We all remember celebrity endorsements to oppose negative press for asbestos manufacturer Johns Manville and American Express.
More recently, pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck turned to Dorothy Hamill and Bruce Jenner to advertise Vioxx, an anti inflammatory prescription medication that has since been pulled from the market after it was shown to increase cardiac issues and chance of death.
View the Dorothy Hamill television ad for Vioxx, or another for Merck by clicking here.
Now, DePuy (owned by Johnson & Johnson) is turning to college basketball hall of famer and 2008 Olympic coach Mike Krzyzewksi (Coach K).
Click here to view the DePuy website, or see below: