Dr. Patrick Schultz, Professor of Management, along with former MBA Alumnus Blair Nelson, published in the Journal of Case Studies.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Patrick L. Schultz, Professor of Management and former MBA student, UND Alumnus Blair Nelson for their recent publication in the Journal of Case Studies – Volume 37, Issue 2, 2019.
Authors: Patrick L. Schultz, Blair Nelson
Title: “The Tide Pod Challenge: Responding to The Theater of Viral Internet Phenomena”
Abstract: When Proctor & Gamble introduced the Tide Pod line of laundry detergent products, it did not
quite get the result that they expected. While the product was successful in the marketplace, it
also sparked a bizarre viral reaction on the Internet. Teen-aged users of YouTube were posting
videos of themselves eating the colorful detergent packs in what was known as the Tide Pod
Challenge, resulting in gagging or choking but sometimes more serious incidents of
hospitalization for poisoning. This unexpected Internet phenomenon gave rise to public
discussion of what the company should do in reaction to prevent the misuse of its products, and
politicians were considering whether a legislative response was required to compel companies to
make their products safer. Meanwhile, the viral Tide Pod Challenge had not really produced a
negative effect on sales of the product, magnifying the difficulty of choosing the right response.
