It’s not a game of hide and seek, nor a game of 20 questions. Good public relations face the tough issues head on. Communications are direct and honest.
One of the best examples of this is the 1982 Tylenol crisis, when it was discovered that someone had laced Tylenol with cyanide, causing the death of seven people in Chicago. Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer, recalled not just the Tylenol in Chicago area, but all of the tablets throughout the country.
The company’s guiding principles required such action, as its first responsibility was to “all who use our products.” The estimated cost of this response was $100 million. Johnson & Johnson also dedicated 2,500 people to alerting the public and dealing with the problem.
Many times organizations are fear driven. The impact on the bottomline, the possibility of a lawsuit or just the dread of facing any consequences will prevent a timely and appropriate response. And most often, in the end, the crisis grows and is prolonged.
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Knowing who to involve.
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Staying in check with company values.
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Balancing internal and external communications.
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