Brand Meltdown: A Case Study

Let’s all temporarily jump into a nightmare together and work through a possible “Oh, my God, the brand just exploded today” situation.

For the purpose of general risk assessment and basic context, let’s consider a fictional brand and its bad day. Remember: with any brand meltdown, the magnitude and factors will vary but the principles remain the same. Later, I will share actual industry examples and solutions.

The Onset

It’s a Wednesday afternoon in small-town America. There’s been a horrific accident, and a local company’s vehicle and driver are involved. Splashed on the local news are statistics like “five people known dead,” images of the scene with a local company’s branded truck (now a wreck), and crates of the company’s product clearly labeled and scattered everywhere. The truck driver, a 30-year veteran is led away in handcuffs by police officers.