Lululemon practiced textbook crisis PR during yoga pants frenzy

The author says the clothier’s crisis communications was sharp as it managed the fallout from a black yoga pants recall that became the talk of the media last week.

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It became a top story across a range of media outlets, as observers mostly chuckled at the incident. The story, which broke on Monday, picked up steam later in the week when word spread that employees at Lululemon were doing bend-over tests to check for faulty pants.

The athletic clothier had pulled a batch of its luon pants because they were too sheer.

Although the company took flak for the incident, and saw its stock price drop, Lululemon practiced textbook crisis communications that could help it ride out the media attention, retain customers, and avert long-term business disaster.

“As an ambassador, this issue will only make Lululemon that much stronger because they will pay even more attention to detail,” said Jason (“Coach J”) Inglis, a personal trainer and Lululemon brand ambassador in Toronto. “This company strives on separating themselves from not just being good, but being great.”

Here’s what the company did right:

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