Understanding the effectiveness of public relations strategies used during consumer product recalls : a case study and content analysis examination of Mattel's 2007 recall strategy

Abstract

With regulatory agencies enforcing increasingly strict quality standards for manufacturers, businesses are finding more and more often that their products are under intense scrutiny. Couple this trend with the fact that modern technology equips consumers with an endless supply of information, both factual and fabricated, and recalls become even more challenging and threatening to consumer product companies. Gone are the days when print reigned as “king” of media. In its place, Web 2.0 is connecting users across the globe—each with the ability to spread their stories of injustice and damage an organization’s business. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website, infant and children’s products accounted for 54% of reported recalls in May of 2011. The year 2007 alone was often referred to as “The Year of the Recall,” the majority of which were related once again to items intended for youthful audiences.