The Taco Bell Case

In 2011, Taco Bell was sued by customers who complained their taco meat was more “filler” than beef. Rather than attack the customer for their complaint, the crisis management team of Taco Bell decided to an effective way to handle the crisis. In regards to the lawsuit, Taco Bell thanked those who sued them, allowing their marketing campaign to tell their side of the story (Crandall, Parnell, & Spillan, 2013). The crisis management team of Taco Bell came up with a communication strategy called “Tacogate,” which was broadcasted through many forms of social media (Crandall et al, 2013).

Major newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, the New York Times, and others in Los Angeles, Boston, and San Diego advertised the story (Crandall