Did summer seem long? It did to crisis managers. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, at least 12 organizations faced significant reputational events. But these weren’t simply “PR crises.”
Good Good Golf and Callaway lost a partnership, retail distribution, a television program, a PGA Tour sponsorship and two executives.
Buc-ee’s turned routine trademark enforcement into a boycott and a national challenge to its character.
Saber Interactive’s AI controversy became a leadership problem when the CEO’s response highlighted the original allegation.
Volkswagen’s restructuring put as many as 100,000 jobs, four plants, union relationships and confidence in its future at stake plus it made everyone mad.
Target’s product failure reached the share price.
The Starbucks Korean franchise’s marketing controversy contributed to falling sales, an operating loss and the departure of their leader.
KPMG Australia’s mishandling of confidential client information led to investigations, client departures and the loss of senior leaders.
L3Harris removed its CEO following a conduct investigation.
FIFA abandoned a proposed $20 billion commercialization deal after stakeholder revolt.
Flock Safety lost customers and faced government action over privacy and surveillance concerns.
Fender’s effort to protect its intellectual property triggered industry opposition and legal challenges.
Patagonia’s trademark lawsuit against Pattie Gonia threatened its credibility with the activist communities central to its brand. That is what an enterprise crisis looks like.
The initial reputational event moves quickly into operations, leadership, revenue, governance, litigation, workforce stability and stakeholder trust.
Reputation and operations are not separate. Neither are the financial consequences. Twelve enterprise crises in fourteen weeks. Did I miss any? Hope everyone else enjoyed their summer. And in case anyone is keeping count, that is nine senior leaders that lost their jobs over a crisis…..
Kith facilitates crisis preparedness workshops that will help your company attain the clarity, trust, and strategic speed you need to respond confidently – no dithering! – to any crisis. We’d be happy to have a conversation about how we can help your company be ready to chart an effective course to reputation protection.
Looking for more fresh insights? Crisis of the Month is a no-fluff Substack that breaks down real-world crises and what they teach us about leadership, communication, and damage control. Whether you’re in comms, ops, or just crisis-curious, this is your monthly guide to what went wrong — and how to do it better. Sign up today!
