Stuart Elliott: Our Bond With Brands Is Tested When Brands Are in Crisis

Never mind all that talk about the basket of deplorables. Lately, consumers are being confronted with a gigantic laundry hamper overflowing with brands that are behaving deplorably and, as a result, find themselves mired in crisis mode. Some of the best-known blue-chip names in marketing are under siege, calling into question their value and, possibly, their survival. And almost all their problems are self-inflicted, impeding efforts to dig out and get back to taking care of business.