In a move that I consider long past due, Wal-Mart has decided to make its case directly to the public. It will begin a national television ad campaign putting the record straight that its detractors have been distorting.
They will present their case beginning with two ads. One a 60-second ad that talks about the legacy that founder Sam Walton, and another 30-second ad that talks about Wal-Mart's health insurance plan for over 1.3 million of its U.S. employees.
The company will center on its major contribution to the U.S. economy and population through its creation of tens of thousands jobs a year, its health plans that cost as littel as $23 a month, saving regular Americans over $2,300 a year through its low prices and its huge yearly donations to charities that total over 
$245 million a year.
Steven Silvers, a corporate reputation management expert with Denver-based consultancy GBSM Inc., said "If they're targeted, they have to get their message out there. It's because they have become political fodder. They have to frame the discussion."
He's right. It's taken Wal-Mart far too long in my opinion to tackle this issue head on. They seem to have floundered for quite a long time; not really knowing how to deal with it.
Any company that is being attacked concerning their reputation owes it to themselves, its workers, and the general public to set the record straight and get their story out there. If we don't do that, we allow our attackers to set the parameters of the discussion and throw out numerous accusations that in many cases can be outright dishonest.
This is part of managing our company reputation that all business leaders must take seriously. To ignore it and let it slide is a tremendous mistake that can cost a company in the long run.
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