Campbell's Soup: Condensing the Timeline From Crisis to Clarity

Every crisis communications professional will tell you: There's no worse — or more predictable — time for a crisis to hit than just before a holiday. You're ready to switch off your laptop for a few days, and then boom, the universe has other plans for you.

This is what happened to Campbell's Soup Company in the days before Thanksgiving, when reports of "leaked audio" from a company IT executive surfaced in mainstream media — recordings that contained disparaging remarks about the company's products. Not exactly the coverage you want when you're opening a can of soup for the green bean casserole.

As a crisis communicator, I feel for this team. And this is a perfect use case for CrisisCommand.

For illustrative purposes, I logged into CrisisCommand FOOD and gave it a simple prompt:

"I am the Head of Communications for Campbell's Soup Company. This story just broke: Newsweek article on Campbell's VP remarks. Help!"

In approximately 5.5 minutes, I arrived at the recommendation below. Would this be better with the expertise and insight of a Campbell's comms exec? Absolutely. Could it be tailored with important organizational context (e.g., richer stakeholder profiles, brand voice, historical actions)? Without a doubt (and that's part of the CrisisCommand Enterprise license).

But for illustrative purposes, take a look at the head-start we get through CrisisCommand (... as I'm juggling Thanksgiving preparations at home).

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Sample: Live Crisis Snapshot & Plan

Campbell Soup Company

1. Situation

A secretly recorded meeting allegedly captures a Campbell's senior executive making offensive remarks about customers ("poor people"), the quality of Campbell's products, and Indian employees. The recording was partially broadcast by Local 4 News and amplified by Newsweek, driving national attention.

A former employee has filed a retaliation and discrimination lawsuit, alleging he was terminated ~20 days after reporting the executive's behavior. Campbell's provided an initial media comment stating the remarks are unacceptable (if legitimate), that the executive is on leave, and that an investigation is underway.

No internal communication has yet been issued, creating a vacuum for employees, DEI groups, and managers. Reputational, cultural, and legal exposure is significant.

2. Case Precedent

Relevant cases include Papa John's founder scandal, McDonald's CEO termination, and Buffalo Wild Wings discrimination incident.

These cases provide strong parallels in:

• Executive misconduct going public
• Cultural credibility being tested
• Need for early clarity and accountability
• Sensitivity around discrimination and retaliation claims

3. What Works (Precedent Insights)

• Swift, visible accountability for implicated leaders
• Values-first communication, clearly separating brand from misconduct
• Early internal communication, even if facts are still developing
• Third-party or independent investigation to restore credibility
• Empathy-forward tone with employees and impacted communities

4. What Doesn't Work (Precedent Insights)

• Silence or delay, especially with employees
• Minimizing or appearing to protect leadership
• Fragmented messaging across teams or channels
• Overly legalistic language in early stages
• Treating it as "one bad actor" without addressing cultural expectations

5. Initial Objectives

• Stabilize internal trust and show visible accountability
• Demonstrate credible investigative rigor regarding the recording and retaliation claims
• Protect reputation and values with consistent, responsible public messaging
• Mitigate legal exposure while reinforcing integrity in HR and reporting processes

6. Key Messages

• The behavior described is unacceptable and does not represent Campbell's culture. An investigation is underway; respect for our people and our consumers is foundational.
• The company is conducting a thorough, credible investigation. The process will be rigorous, fair, and aligned with our values and legal obligations.
• We are proud of our people and the food we make. Any statement undermining our employees or product quality is inaccurate and not tolerated.
• Employees will hear directly from leadership. We will communicate openly and create space for questions and support, especially for impacted groups.

7. Stakeholders (Snapshot)

High Priority:

• All employees (corporate + plants)
• People managers
• ERGs/DEI communities
• Board of Directors
• Media

Medium Priority:

• Customers / public
• Investors / analysts
• IT/InfoSec teams
• Legal observers / plaintiff's counsel

Lower Priority (monitor):

• Distributor/partner network

8. Next Steps (Immediate Sequence)

0–6 Hours:

• Issue all-employee internal communication (highest priority)
• Provide manager talking points immediately following
• Notify and align board of directors via briefing memo
• Prepare DEI/ERG outreach note and schedule listening sessions

6–24 Hours:

• Update external media holding line if inquiries escalate
• Prepare media FAQ for consistency across spokespeople
• Confirm investigation structure (internal + external counsel)

24–72 Hours:

• Begin leadership listening sessions
• Monitor sentiment; prepare additional updates as needed
• Coordinate legal posture and discovery preparedness

1–2 Weeks:

• Continue internal updates as facts develop
• Operationalize any corrective action

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From Plan to Materials

Once I review and refine this plan, it's time to start creating materials, and CrisisCommand is ready to go. The platform offers to draft the following pack — pulling through all of the objectives, strategies, audience insights and messages to which we already agreed:

• All-employee internal note (top priority)
• Manager guidance
• ERG note
• Board memo
• Updated external holding statement
• Media FAQ

I've managed plenty of holiday week crises without a platform like CrisisCommand. It ain't easy. In developing the platform, we not only aim to create better corporate outcomes; we help crisis communicators work more efficiently and find better balance in their lives.

Now, go check on that turkey. It smells like something else is burning...