In 2004, Procter & Gamble was looking for a hit. It had been two decades since the consumer products conglomerate introduced Tide liquid detergent, revolutionizing the way people washed their clothes.

Many PR crises are self-inflicted, but from time to time there are also those where the company in question isn't to blame. That was the case with Procter & Gamble's recent PR crisis related to the ...