Lessons learned: Crisis PR turned Miley Cyrus into a good girl

Whenever the issue of crisis public relations comes up, the name Tylenol immediately comes to mind. In 1982, seven Tylenol users in the Chicago area died after taking Tylenol capsules that had been laced with potassium cyanide. Within a week of the first death, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) -- Tylenol's manufacturer -- had distributed warnings to hospitals and distributors, halted production, stopped advertising, recalled all Tylenol products, and offered to exchange all Tylenol capsules in distribution. They subsequently phased out capsules and massively improved the seals on their packages.

Although the tampering crisis could have spelled the end of Tylenol, the company's quick reaction, willingness to sacrifice $100 million worth of products, and subsequent packaging advances enabled it to emerge as the safest, most respected over-the-counter drug. Within a few years, the company had turned a crisis into a brand-defining triumph and was the best-selling analgesic on the market.