When a leaked audio clip surfaced of a Campbell’s executive making disparaging remarks about the company’s products, customers, and work colleagues, the story moved fast – and so did the damage. The recording, which a former employee released alongside a lawsuit, prompted public outrage, a boycott call, and intense media scrutiny. Campbell’s confirmed the conversation was authentic, placed the executive on leave and has since parted ways with him while it continues to respond to the complaints.
If there’s one thing this incident underlines, it’s that reputational risk can come from inside the company. How you respond is just as important as the underlying facts. With that in mind, below are some practical crisis-communications tips every organization should put into practice.
- Move quickly but deliberately
Speed matters: silence or delay creates a vacuum that others will fill with speculation. That said, haste without a plan can make things worse. Issue a short, factual holding statement while you gather facts and prepare next steps. Campbell’s rapid acknowledgement and internal action helped shape the initial narrative.
- Own what you can; investigate what you must.
If allegations are true, acknowledge them and explain corrective actions. If there are outstanding legal or HR processes, say so and commit to a transparent review. Demonstrating accountability is critical to rebuilding trust.
- Coordinate legal, HR and communications.
Crises that involve personnel, discrimination or litigation require synchronized messaging. Legal will advise on wording, HR will handle internal implications, and communications will protect external reputation — all three must be aligned before public updates.
- Control the channels, but don’t disappear from the conversation.
Use owned channels for official updates and let spokespeople trained in crisis media handle interviews. Unfiltered executives or off-the-cuff responses will likely prolong coverage and harm credibility.
- Use the moment to review and remediate.
After the immediate response, conduct a root-cause review: governance, inclusion training, escalation paths, and monitoring. Reinforce policies and demonstrate measurable change.
At Maracaibo Media Group, we help brands prepare for – and respond to- moments like this. From drafting standby statements and coordinating cross-functional responses to media training spokespeople and managing post-crisis reputation recovery, our crisis communications playbook is battle-tested. If you haven’t updated your crisis plan lately (or ever). Let’s talk. We can help you build the strategy, templates, and training you need to protect your brand when it matters most.