The horse meat scandal that erupted in 2013 had a huge impact on major UK food brands and supermarkets. And in this episode of "What Just Happened?," hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton, with special guest Dr Mukta Das, discuss how horse meat came to be found in food products and what the impact was.

‘Horsegate’ began when the Food Safety Authority in Ireland discovered horse DNA in meat products sold as beef, leading to widespread recalls and public outrage. The scandal exposed the complexity and fragility of the food supply chain, revealing the presence of horse meat in beef products due to fraudulent practices by suppliers. Major supermarkets like Tesco and suppliers such as ABP Food Group faced significant financial and reputational damage.

Horsegate led to improved food safety measures, including better legal controls, enhanced DNA testing, and increased cooperation across borders. But food fraud remains a concern, and we look at the cultural and systemic issues within the food industry and the need for transparency and sustainability in food supply chains.

A full transcript of today's show is available to read here.

In this episode of "What Just Happened?," hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton, with special guest Aby Hawker, talk about the 2023 Bud Light controversy involving trans rights activist and influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light sent a special edition can to Mulvaney to celebrate her transition, but this led to a massive backlash from conservative groups and right-wing media. Notably, Kid Rock posted a video of himself shooting Bud Light cans in protest.

Despite the severe online abuse Mulvaney faced, Bud Light distanced itself from her, issuing a lukewarm statement and failing to support her publicly. The backlash affected Bud Light's sales and led to layoffs.

We discuss how and why Bud Light failed to stand by Mulvaney, and we talk about campaign preparation and planning for any potential negative response. We also look at the importance for brands of aligning their actions with their core values and being prepared to support their partners through potential controversies.

A full transcript of today's show is available to read here.

In this episode of "What Just Happened?," hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton, with special guest Mark Fritz, discuss the 2017 United Airlines crisis, where passenger Dr. David Dao was forcibly removed from a flight to make room for United employees.

The incident was filmed and widely shared on social media, and United's initial response blamed Dao, further fueling outrage. This led to a significant backlash, including a drop in United's stock price and calls for a boycott. CEO Oscar Munoz later issued a more sincere apology, which helped mitigate the damage.

In the show we look at the importance of strategic intent, strong leadership, and effective communication during crises. We look at why leaders must focus on clear communication, listening, and maintaining strategic patience to navigate crises successfully. And we also discuss the importance of having core values and behaviours that guide the organisation in such situations.

A full transcript of today's show is available to read here.

In this episode of "What Just Happened?," hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton, with special guest Jonathan Hemus, discuss the 1982 Tylenol murders in Chicago, where seven people died after ingesting cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules. The crisis placed Johnson & Johnson at the centre of a murder investigation, severely impacting brand trust.

CEO James Burke made the unprecedented decision to recall 31 million bottles of Tylenol, costing over $100 million. This action, guided by the company’s credo prioritising customer safety, helped restore consumer trust.

In the show we look at the importance of strategic intent and strong organisational values in crisis management, and we discuss how strategic intent provides a vision of success, aiding decision-making and prioritisation during crises. We also look at how deeply embedded values enable effective crisis responses and strengthen organisational resilience and employee loyalty.

A full transcript of today's show is available to read here.

In What Just Happened? hosts and co-founders of Polpeo, Tamara Littleton and Kate Hartley, delve into a different corporate crisis, what it meant for the brand, and how it shaped our thinking in crisis communications.

Along the way, they have help and insight from some of the most prominent thinkers in the crisis communications industry, who share their expertise on why people behaved the way they did during the crisis in question, how leaders responded and even how the market changed as a result. And they help answer the biggest question of all - could it have been avoided in the first place?