Social media strategist Ron Ploof has published a new case study that is worth a read. “Johnson & Johnson Does New Media” is a concise e-book detailing how the health products giant has established its new media presence.

Many companies, large and small, hesitate to jump into blogging, podcasting, video, and social networks, citing “competitive, legal, or regulatory risks,” Ploof says. But Johnson & Johnson, a 123 year-old, $64 billion holding company (with 250 different operating companies and 118,000 employees), but has bucked the corporate tendency to shy away from new communications media.

Ploof explores how J & J has grown its new media presence from a simple “corporate brouchure” website of the mid-1990s, to today’s range of media offerings: a large corporate website, two blogs, the JNJ Channel on YouTube, and a company presence on Twitter and Facebook. Of particular interest is the special challenge J&J faces as a health-products company under strict government regulation – how do you create content that is good for customers, without crossing regulatory lines?

“Johnson & Johnson Does New Media” does a great job of refuting the arguments against corporate forays into new and social media, and goes one step further, to offer ten lessons companies (of all sizes, in any industry) should consider while developing their social media strategies.

Ron Ploof himself is a veteran of corporate communications and new and social media. An early adopter of podcasting technology, Ploof created the entertaining “Griddlecakes Radio” story podcast in 2005, while also creating the new media presence for the electronics company where he worked. Ploof now offers his new media expertise as a consultant to corporate and nonprofit concerns as OC New Media.

You can also see a couple of his entertaining videos on music and audio technology here.