Keith M. Hearit Crisis Communication Management: Applying Theory To Real Cases -

Tylenol regained 95% of its market share within a year. The case became Hearit’s gold standard for how mortification + corrective action can transform a potential fatal crisis into a reputational asset. Case Study 2: Exxon Valdez (1989) – The Failure of Defeasibility The Crisis: The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil. The environmental damage was catastrophic. Exxon’s initial response was slow, defensive, and legally calculated.

The organizations that survive are not necessarily the wealthiest or most powerful. They are the ones that understand the grammar of accusation and apology. They know when to fight (denial, provocation) and when to yield (mortification). They know that a crisis is not a problem to be solved but a narrative to be navigated. Tylenol regained 95% of its market share within a year

Inhumane treatment, racism (Dao was Asian American), and corporate greed. The environmental damage was catastrophic

Hearit praises this case not just for the action but for the rhetorical framing . Burke did not engage in defeasibility (“We couldn’t have known”). Instead, he invoked the company’s credo—a values-based document—to frame the recall as a moral obligation, not a business calculation. The apology was implicit in the action: “We failed to protect you, and we will fix the system.” They are the ones that understand the grammar

The crisis defined Exxon as a villain for a generation. The company paid billions in cleanup and fines, but the reputational wound never fully healed. Hearit uses this case to teach a crucial lesson: When the accusation is about values, a legalistic defense is the worst possible response. Case Study 3: United Airlines’ “Dragging” Incident (2017) – The Social Media Apocalypse The Crisis: Dr. David Dao was violently dragged off a United Express flight to make room for crew members. Video of the bloodied, incoherent passenger went viral.