Procter & Gamble Co. scrambled to put out an Internet wildfire over the safety of its new Pampers Dry Max diapers , a crucial brand that accounts for about 11% of the company's revenue. Some mothers who blame the reengineered diapers for causing rashes, even "chemical burns," started a Facebook page to detail their claims and press P&G to reverse course.

The claims quickly gained traction, leading to a lawsuit and inquiries by product-safety regulators in the U.S. and Canada. The bad publicity put the Cincinnati-based company in the uncomfortable position of having to publicly blame or discredit its own customers. The company issued a news release arguing that the claims are being "perpetuated by a small number of parents," some of whom support competitors' products or cloth diapers.