Plus: Bath & Body Works rebrands to attract younger customers; how to structure content in the GEO era.
Campbell’s Soup Company defended the quality of its food and apologized after a former executive claimed the company’s chicken came from “a 3D printer” and was “for poor people.”
Martin Bally, the former vice president in Campbell’s IT department, was recorded during a meeting saying, “I don’t buy Campbell’s products barely anymore.”
In the same rant, he claimed the company’s soups contain “bioengineered meat,” which Campbell’s vigorously denies.
“The chicken meat in our soups comes from long-trusted, USDA approved U.S. suppliers and meets our high quality standards,” Campbell’s said in a statement on Facebook. “All our soups are made with No Antibiotics Ever chicken meat. Any claims to the contrary are completely false.”
Campbell’s also apologized for Bally’s disparaging remarks and confirmed he’d been fired:
“The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused. This behavior does not reflect our values and the culture of our company, and we will not tolerate that kind of language under any circumstances.”
Why it matters: When the remarks surfaced, Campbell’s acted quickly. Within 24 hours of reviewing the recording, the company publicly confirmed the firing of Bally and issued a statement condemning the language.
Campbell’s also addressed the misinformation by clarifying where their food comes from, placing emphasis on high standards and quality.
Brands must proactively correct false claims, even when they emerge from individuals no longer affiliated with the company. Silence risks being interpreted as agreement or negligence.
Transparency about quality control, sourcing and ingredients is also increasingly vital to managing reputational damage. Customers trust companies that clearly communicate facts when questions arise.
Misinformation can come from internal sources, not just outside critics. So combatting it isn’t only about controlling the external narrative, but also managing internal culture and communication practices from employees at every level.
Editor’s Top Reads:
- Bath & Body Works is undergoing a big rebrand after a period of falling sales The Wall Street Journal reports that CEO Daniel Heaf said the brand will invest in more creator-led storytelling and immersive experiences. This includes pumping its popular holiday fragrances into public places like train stations and movie theaters along with interactive kiosks and updating its packaging to a more modern look. “We want our brand to be a beacon for younger consumers who seek greater efficacy, ingredient-led innovation, modern packaging and compelling storytelling,” Bath & Body Works CMO Jamie Sohosky told the outlet. By turning scent itself into an immersive, unexpected public experience, Bath & Body Works shows how tapping into emotion and memory can create brand resonance. For PR pros, the lesson is that even legacy brands need to evolve if they want to reach new audiences.
- Google, Microsoft and Perplexity recently discussed how brands should adapt to focus on GEO or AEO. This can be done by creating content that’s genuinely helpful, easy to scan and structured clearly, Danny Sullivan, Google’s director of search, told Business Insider. “Are you doing things that are useful for human beings?” he said. “That’s what we want to reward.” That means using straightforward language, Q&A sections, lists and clean formatting so AI tools can pull the right information. It also means focusing on brand trust and clarity, because AI often highlights reputable sources rather than specific webpages. Krishna Madhavan, principal product manager for Microsoft Bing, said, “The way to win remains the same: disciplined fundamentals, not shortcuts or hype, then quick innovation.” As AI continues to replace traditional search behavior, the brands that write for humans, while making their content machine-friendly, will have a major visibility advantage.
- Despite what you may have thought, a new survey showed that YouTube is, by a wide margin, the most used social media platform in the U.S., even more than TikTok or Instagram. According to the Pew Research Center, about 84% of U.S. adults say they use YouTube. Meanwhile TikTok and X are used by much smaller numbers of adults: 37% for TikTok and roughly 21% for X. Even though TikTok and X get lots of headlines and may sometimes feel more culturally relevant, YouTube remains the biggest, most reliable channel for reaching broad audiences in the U.S. For PR pros, this means strategies focused on YouTube, or at least including it, will often reach more people than chasing the newest or trendiest apps. YouTube’s strength comes from long-form videos, searchability and evergreen content. That means interviews, explainers, behind-the-scenes content and thought-leadership videos can deliver value long after they’re posted, something short-form platforms struggle to match.
Courtney Blackann is a communications reporter. Connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at courtneyb@ragan.com.
The post The Scoop: Campbell’s defends product quality after former exec rant appeared first on PR Daily.
