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Crisis Communications

It’s during times of crisis that companies’ reputations are tested. Johnson & Johnson’s handling of the Tylenol cyanide poisoning crisis in 1982 is a textbook example of a company improving its reputation through deft management of an unforeseen situation. In contrast, other companies such as AIG, Goldman Sachs and Hewlett-Packard were criticized for how they handled some more recent high-profile issues.

Although it’s impractical to plan thoroughly for every crisis, organizations should have a set of communications procedures in place that can help contain the reputational impact of a crisis and activate fast and efficient damage control.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.”