About this episode
This episode examines the contrasting communication strategies of Nestlé and Air Canada in response to crises, highlighting the importance of context in shaping reputational outcomes.
In this episode of Communication Breakdown, Steve Dowling and Craig Carroll examine two very different communications tests: Nestlé’s playful response to the theft of 400,000 KitKat bars, and Air Canada’s damaging leadership misstep after a fatal crash. They explore why KitKat’s response worked, pointing to low stakes, strong brand alignment, smart targeting, and disciplined execution. They then turn to Air Canada, where an English-only message from CEO Michael Rousseau in the wake of tragedy violated a clear cultural and legal expectation in Canada. Together, the two cases show how context shapes what is possible, but judgment and execution determine whether a moment becomes a reputational win or a preventable failure. Takeaways Nestlé succeeded because the KitKat theft was visible, low-stakes, and easy to frame in a way that fit the brand’s existing voice. Opportunistic communications only work when timing, tone, and audience expectations are aligned. Air Canada’s bilingual obligation was not a secondary consideration, it was a governing constraint. Topics Mentioned KitKat, cargo theft, Nestlé, Formula One sponsorship, brand voice, crisis communication, stakeholder judgment…
People in this episode
Host: Steve Dowling
Guest: Craig Carroll
Topics covered
- crisis communication
- brand voice
- cultural expectations
- leadership accountability
- reputational risk
- stakeholder judgment
Keywords
- KitKat
- Nestlé
- Air Canada
- crisis communication
- bilingual communications
- reputational risk
- leadership accountability
- stakeholder judgment
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Nestlé, Air Canada, Formula One, Fast Company, The Athletic, The New York Times, Allianz
Products: KitKat
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