Case Study
Effective Communications Case Study: There's a Syringe in My Pepsi Can!
Malinda Chambers, Chrissy Brock, Sarah Harris,
Walter Walker, and Anthony Walton
University of Phoenix
MKT / 438
Sandra Ferguson
May 21, 2007
Introduction
When a crisis occurs in most situations the responding organization is not ready prepared. These crises can affect the financials, political, legal, and have government (FDA) intervene, when not handle with immediate resolve. Also the media can portray to public and emphasize the issue at hand in repeat so many times that the public will raise concerns. In this case study "There's a Syringe in my Pepsi Can" a system could have been in place to detect early on so no other issues are added to the crises. Effective communications is the solution to Pepsi's management crises.
In this case study a consumer made a report and claimed to found a syringe in an unopened Pepsi can.
PEPSI
Plaza Venezuela, Caracas
PepsiCo 11This took place on June 9, 1993 in Tacoma, Washington. After that report many more reports of objects in Pepsi cans surface. Within weeks this issue reached national level. Pepsi immediately activated there crises management plan and showed information that it was impossible for a syringe to enter a Pepsi can. The CEO and managers explained there safety procedures in the process of canning to the media. When public fears was settled the crises was over. Pepsi defended there position from the very beginning that put the company back to good standing. The Pepsi's crises management team expressed effective communication throughout this ordeal which earned the respect of customers/public.
Part B
The Publics
The interesting thing about this case study was how easily they were persuaded to believing that a reputable company would compromise their public standing by not securing the safety of its customers. The case...