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NBC’s This Is Us has been tugging at the heartstrings of millions of viewers. In its latest aired episode, the TV show revealed a scene where the show’s beloved character Jack Pearson dies due to a fire sparked by a slow cooker.

Emotionally connected to the show, fans took to social media to share their grief. Thousands of fans declared that they would be throwing out their Crock-Pots.

Crock-Pot responded fast while also taking into account the emotional aspect that the fans of the show were experiencing. It released a statement on Facebook, sharing mutual grief and an emotional connection to the show, while also encouraging fans to continue using their Crock-Pots:

“THIS IS US’ SPOILER ALERT. We’re still trying to mend our ???? heart after watching ‘This Is Us’ on Tuesday night. America’s favorite dad and husband deserved a better exit and Crock-Pot® shares in your devastation. Don’t further add to this tragedy by throwing your Crock-Pot Slow Cooker away. It’s hard to pass something down from generation to generation if you throw it away (grandma won’t be too happy). Spending time with his family while enjoying comfort food from his Crock-Pot was one of his favorite things to do. Let’s all do our part and honor his legacy in the kitchen with Crock-Pot®.

XOXO,
Crock-Pot® Forever in Your Heart & Forever in Your Home”

The company also actively responded to posts on Twitter, connecting with fans of the show and being a part of the ongoing conversation.

I didn’t even think when I went to put the pork into the crockpot this morning. Then I cried. Damn you #CROCKPOT #ThisIsUs

— Hannah Price (@hanmprice) January 24, 2018

It was clear that the company had a crisis plan in place, which enabled it to respond quickly and effectively. In the end, Crock-Pot was able to turn a crisis into a unique opportunity to connect with its stakeholders in a new way.

If you are looking for help in developing your crisis PR plan, call Red Banyan today.