Tylenol, Then and Now: Crisis Under New Ownership

September 23, 2024

We've seen this movie before. In 1982, J&J's handling of the Tylenol tampering crisis became the gold standard case study in corporate crisis management. Four decades later, Tylenol is back in the headlines, this time thrust into the spotlight by political figures more interested in amplifying unfounded claims than presenting rational science.

The difference is that today, Tylenol belongs to Kenvue, the recent J&J consumer health spinoff. From what I know of their positioning, Kenvue carries some of J&J's reputational halo, but is very much on its own operationally and strategically. Compared to its more established peers, its crisis response, story and commitments to customers are still untested.

In 1982, it was a tampering crisis for J&J.

In 2025, it’s a crisis of misinformation for Kenvue.

The new Tylenol scare is that test. (Yesterday's 7.5% drop in Kenvue's stock price is just the first jolt.) This will show how Kenvue demonstrates narrative resilience in an environment where brands are expected to repel misinformation before it takes hold. Which is even harder to do when that misinformation comes from the highest levels of government.

In the weeks ahead, Kenvue's communications to pregnant women, the public, regulators and its employees will be particularly critical. They'll need to thread the needle between defending product safety without directly challenging statements from the administration.

Tylenol 1982 was the gold standard in crisis management. Tylenol 2025 will show whether Kenvue can live up to that legacy and prove it has the clarity, independence and scientific authority to stand on its own.