What Just Happened? A Polpeo Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In March 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 completely disappeared and became one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. The Boeing 777, carrying 239 people, lost contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur and, despite extensive search efforts, the plane was never found.

In today’s episode of ‘What Just Happened?’, hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Liitleton are joined by Rod Cartwright, who was directly involved in the crisis response. They discuss the many challenges faced by the crisis team, including a total lack of information coupled with widespread speculation and conspiracy theories.

Dealing with an information vacuum made managing public expectations and misinformation particularly difficult, and this was not aided by the coordination between Malaysia Airlines and the Malaysian government or the media, which had a role to play in fuelling speculation. The search for MH370 is expected to resume ten years after the incident, offering a glimmer of hope for the families of those on board still seeking closure a decade later.

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

This week’s show discusses the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, the largest marine oil spill in history. Hosts Tamara Littleton and Kate Hartley, along with special guest Zaiba Malik, look at how the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed 11 workers and caused a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, severely impacting the environment and local communities.

BP faced financial collapse, paying $65 billion over eight years in compensation, fines, and cleanup costs. The disaster exposed significant flaws in BP’s safety measures and leadership, particularly with regard to CEO Tony Hayward, whose public statements and actions during the crisis were widely criticised for lacking empathy and effective communication.

We discuss the importance of having prepared, empathetic spokespersons during crises, proper delegation, and learning from past incidents to better predict and manage future crises. And we address the need for genuine apologies and thoughtful preparation for leaders facing public scrutiny.

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 John Brown, explore the enduring relevance of the Nestlé versus Greenpeace controversy over palm oil and deforestation.

We delve into how Greenpeace’s campaign against Nestlé in 2010 highlighted the broader issue of palm oil production’s impact on rainforests. Nestlé made several missteps in handling the crisis, including attempts to suppress Greenpeace’s video and failing to meet their sustainability commitments.

We also discuss the broader implications for corporate transparency and accountability, emphasising the importance of genuine action over superficial promises. And we provide insights into how brands can better navigate these challenges by being transparent, admitting faults, and taking a human approach to communication and sustainability efforts.

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

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?

In 2011 Wells Fargo bank was thrown into the centre of a scandal that resulted in it being fined $185 million for creating over 2 million fraudulent accounts without customers’ knowledge. Driven by aggressive sales targets, the bank saw a 43% drop in new account openings and a 55% drop in credit card applications. Over 5000 employees were fired.

In today’s episode of ‘What Just Happened?’, hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton are joined by corporate culture expert Jane Fordham to discuss how Wells Fargo responded and the wider issues around a culture that drove fraud on such a large scale.

The crisis underscored the importance of fostering a culture that encourages ethical behaviour and supports whistleblowers, and the discussion highlights how companies must prioritise psychological safety, transparency, and consistent values from leadership to avoid similar crises. Effective cultural change requires clarity, communication, and a commitment from top to bottom to uphold ethical standards, ensuring that employees feel safe to report concerns without fear of retribution.

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

The TalkTalk data breach of 2015 was one of the most high profile cybersecurity incidents in the UK. Initially attributed to sophisticated hackers and feared to have exposed the personal data of over 4 million customers, it was later revealed to be the work of teenagers using basic techniques to exploit vulnerabilities in the company’s database. But the damage was already done for TalkTalk.

In this episode of “What Just Happened?,” hosts Kate Hartley and Tamara Littleton are joined by seasoned crisis specialist Catherine Colloms to talk about how the breach highlighted systemic failings in TalkTalk’s cybersecurity measures.

TalkTalk CEO Dido Harding faced intense media scrutiny throughout the crisis, beginning with an appearance on Newsnight that set the tone for what was to come. While praised for taking responsibility and showing empathy, Harding was criticised for her lack of technical knowledge and for revealing sensitive details in interviews. The fallout included reputational damage, customer losses, and a halving of profits the following year.

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