PR Crisis Examples: What Worked, What Backfired, and Why
Well-known PR crisis examples, from Tylenol to CrowdStrike and Cracker Barrel, with what each company did, how the public reacted, and the lessons any business can use.
By Editorial Team
8 min read
The most useful PR crisis examples show a pattern: companies that act quickly, take responsibility in plain language and fix the underlying problem usually recover, while those that minimize, deflect or go silent tend to make the damage worse. Johnson & Johnson’s 1982 Tylenol recall is the classic success; United Airlines’ 2017 “re-accommodate” statement is the classic misstep.
Below are twelve well-known cases, older and recent, grouped by what went right or wrong. The summaries are brief and based on widely reported events. We focus on the communication decisions, because that is the part any business, large or small, can learn from.
Crises handled well
1. Johnson & Johnson and Tylenol (1982)
Seven people in the Chicago area died after taking Tylenol capsules that had been laced with cyanide. The company wasn’t responsible for the tampering, but it pulled the product from shelves nationwide, warned the public not to use it and worked openly with authorities. Tylenol returned in tamper-resistant packaging, which later became standard across the industry.
Lesson: put public safety ahead of short-term cost, and say so clearly. The recall was expensive, but it made the brand’s priorities obvious.
2. KFC UK’s chicken shortage (2018)
A change of delivery supplier left KFC short of chicken in the UK, and many of its restaurants closed temporarily. KFC ran a newspaper ad showing an empty bucket with the letters rearranged to read “FCK,” alongside a plain apology. The ad was widely praised for owning the problem with humor that matched the brand.
Lesson: tone matters. A little humor can work when the harm is inconvenience, not injury, and when the apology is still clear.
3. CrowdStrike’s global outage (2024)
In July 2024, a faulty update to CrowdStrike’s security software crashed millions of Windows computers worldwide, grounding flights and disrupting hospitals and banks. The CEO apologized publicly, the company published remediation steps quickly and later released a detailed post-incident review explaining what went wrong and what it was changing.
Lesson: in a technical crisis, speed and transparency about the fix matter as much as the apology. Customers needed instructions first and explanations second.
4. Astronomer and the concert “kiss cam” (2025)
A clip of Astronomer’s CEO on a Coldplay concert kiss cam went viral in July 2025, pulling a little-known software company into global headlines. The board opened an investigation, the CEO resigned within days, and the company later released a short, self-aware video featuring a temporary spokesperson that pointed viewers back to what it actually sells.
Lesson: when a crisis is about an individual’s conduct, a fast governance response followed by a return to the core message can limit how long the company stays the story.
Crises made worse by the response
5. United Airlines Flight 3411 (2017)
A passenger was forcibly dragged off an overbooked flight, and videos spread within hours. The CEO’s first statement apologized for having to “re-accommodate” customers, which read as corporate jargon for a violent incident. A fuller apology came later, along with policy changes on overbooking, but the first response set the tone.
Lesson: the first statement is the one people remember. Describe what happened in plain words, and never let legal caution strip out basic empathy. Our guide to writing a public apology covers how to get this right.
6. Pepsi’s protest-themed ad (2017)
An ad showing Kendall Jenner handing a police officer a can of Pepsi at a protest was criticized for trivializing protest movements. Pepsi pulled the ad within about a day and apologized, including to Jenner.
Lesson: a quick withdrawal can stop a crisis from growing. The deeper lesson is about review: a diverse set of eyes before launch is cheaper than any apology.
7. Bud Light (2023)
A small promotional partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney triggered a boycott from some customers, and then criticism from others when the company’s response seemed to distance itself from the partnership. Sales fell sharply and stayed down for months.
Lesson: a response that tries to satisfy every side can end up satisfying none. Decide what you stand behind before you launch, not after. Our guide to influencer controversies looks at this problem in more detail.
8. Southwest Airlines’ holiday meltdown (2022)
Winter storms combined with outdated crew-scheduling systems led Southwest to cancel a huge share of its flights over the December holidays, stranding travelers for days. The company apologized, reimbursed expenses and gave affected customers frequent-flyer points, but the scale of the disruption and the underlying technology problems drew regulatory scrutiny.
Lesson: an apology can’t outrun an operational failure. If the root cause is known and fixable, fixing it is the message.
Recent PR crisis examples from brand decisions
Not every crisis starts with an accident. Some recent PR crisis examples came from deliberate brand changes that met a strong reaction.
9. Jaguar’s rebrand (2024)
Jaguar unveiled a new logo and a teaser campaign with bright colors, models and no cars, under the slogan “Copy Nothing.” Critics online said it abandoned the brand’s heritage. The company defended the strategy as aimed at a new, future electric lineup.
Lesson: a big change without the product to explain it leaves a gap that critics fill. Sequence the story so people can see what the change is for.
10. Cracker Barrel’s logo change (2025)
In August 2025, Cracker Barrel replaced its long-standing logo, which featured a man leaning on a barrel, with a text-only design as part of a broader refresh. The backlash was loud and fast, and within about a week the company announced it would keep the old logo.
Lesson: listen to your core customers before a change they will feel personally. Reversing quickly limited the damage, but testing first could have avoided it.
Crises rooted in the product itself
11. Boeing 737 MAX (2018 to 2024)
Two fatal crashes, in 2018 and 2019, led to a worldwide grounding of the 737 MAX. Investigations pointed to a flight-control system and to how information about it was shared with regulators and pilots. In January 2024, a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in flight, renewing scrutiny of the company’s manufacturing quality.
Lesson: no communication strategy fixes a product or safety culture problem. When trust depends on safety, the message has to follow visible, verifiable change.
12. Peloton and “And Just Like That” (2021)
A character in the “Sex and the City” revival died after a Peloton workout. Peloton responded within days with a lighthearted ad starring the same actor, which was widely praised. When sexual assault allegations against the actor surfaced shortly after, Peloton pulled the ad.
Lesson: fast, creative responses can turn a bad moment around, but speed means less time to check who you are associating with. Build in a quick risk check even when moving fast.
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Get a free auditWhat these PR crisis examples have in common
| Pattern | What helped | What hurt |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | A calm first statement within hours | Silence, or a rushed statement full of jargon |
| Responsibility | Plain acknowledgment of what went wrong | Minimizing, blaming customers or partners |
| Action | Concrete fixes people could see | Apologies with no change behind them |
| Consistency | One clear position held under pressure | Shifting messages aimed at different audiences |
| Preparation | A plan and approved statements in advance | Deciding who speaks after the crisis starts |
Applying the lessons to a smaller business
This example is illustrative, not a real client.
A neighborhood restaurant gets a wave of angry posts after a customer shares a video of a staff member being rude to an elderly diner. Local groups pick it up within hours.
- First hours: the owner posts a short holding statement: they have seen the video, they are looking into it, and they will update by the next day.
- Facts: the owner talks to staff and reviews what happened, rather than guessing in public.
- Response: a plain apology to the diner, a description of what will change, such as retraining and a new manager on weekend shifts, and an invitation for the diner’s family to get in touch privately.
- Follow-through: the owner replies to reviews calmly, avoids arguing, and posts a brief update once the changes are in place.
It is the United Airlines lesson at local scale: the first words and the visible fix matter more than the size of the audience.
Mistakes these cases warn against
- Using legal or corporate language for human harm. People hear evasion.
- Waiting for every fact before saying anything. Say what you know, what you are doing and when you will update.
- Deleting criticism. Screenshots survive, and deletion becomes its own story.
- Different messages for different audiences. Internal memos and customer statements get compared.
- Apologizing without changing anything. The next incident will be judged against the last promise.
If you want to be ready before anything happens, our crisis communication plan guide walks through roles, approvals and templates. If a crisis is already unfolding online, our crisis management team can help you decide what to say and how to protect your search results.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous PR crisis example?
The 1982 Tylenol recall is the most widely taught example of a crisis handled well. Johnson & Johnson pulled the product nationwide after cyanide poisonings, communicated openly and returned with tamper-resistant packaging. United Airlines in 2017 is one of the most cited examples of a response that made things worse.
What makes a PR crisis response successful?
Successful responses usually share a few traits: a quick, calm first statement, plain acknowledgment of what went wrong, concrete action people can see, and a consistent message. Preparation beforehand, such as a crisis plan and a holding statement, makes all of these easier.
How long does a PR crisis last?
It varies widely. A crisis driven by one viral moment can fade in days if handled well, while crises rooted in safety or product problems can last years. Search results and reviews often keep a crisis visible long after the news cycle moves on.
Should a company apologize during a PR crisis?
If the company did something wrong, a clear apology is usually the right step, and it should describe what happened in plain words and what will change. Legal considerations can shape the wording, so involve your lawyer, but don’t let caution remove basic empathy.
