Repair U.S. image, ad chief says

[sabra]

http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1128767531544&path=!business&s=1045855934855

Repair U.S. image, ad chief says
He tells government, business officials that anti-American sentiment will carry a price

WILLIAMSBURG -- A surge of hostility toward Americans in other countries will hurt U.S. businesses unless they act to reverse the trend, an advertising executive told Virginia business and government leaders yesterday.

"Sooner or later, anti-Americanism is bad for business," said Keith Reinhard, chairman of the New York advertising firm DDB Worldwide. Reinhard also is the founder and president of Business for Diplomatic Action, which is organizing U.S. companies in a private-sector initiative to improve America's image in the world.

Speaking at the Virginia Conference on World Trade in Williamsburg, Reinhard said some U.S. executives don't share his concern because they see no evidence that anti-Americanism is hurting company profit.

But "we know that in the minds of many people outside the United States, American brands are linked to American policy. In marketing, we know that attitude precedes behavior," he said.

[C_U_L8R]

1. Keith is one of the good guys (nt)

[Wrinkle_In_Time]

4. "Keith is one of the good guys" ?

You must know more about Keith Reinhard than is presented in this article to be able to call him "one of the good guys."

Reinhard is "chairman of the New York advertising firm DDB Worldwide" and "the founder and president of Business for Diplomatic Action, which is organizing U.S. companies in a private-sector initiative to improve America's image in the world." To me, this qualifies his statements as "self-interest" rather than being "one of the good guys."

Please share your insights.

[democracyindanger]

2. The problem is

too many people think a pretty face on crappy policies will change things. They tried this with Charlotte Beers, and they're trying it with Hughes. Repairing the image of the US starts with changing policies.

Reinhard, of all people, should be well acquainted with the axiom "You can't polish a turd." And the way we're treating other countries is a big stinking one.

[lcordero2]

3. too little too late

No amount of repair is going to work because those customers that were lost are getting more bang for their buck someplace else. Those customers are NEVER coming back.

[shanti]

5. what makes it worse

is that many americans feel the same way! people hate the u.s. because of the BFEE, that's why!! :mad:

[colonel odis]

6. one of the truisms of advertising is that if you have a shitty product

all the good advertising in the world won't sell it.

though i wouldn't consider reinhard one of the good guys, he knows that you can't convince people to buy things that ultimately don't work.

and america's models from 2001 and on are very flawed. perhaps they should be recalled.

[lanlady]

7. don't worry

We've got Karen Hughes taking care of it. She'll make the world love us again in no time at all.

[Benhurst]

8. It's not the image that needs to be changed, it's the reality. NT

[NVMojo]

9. Anti-American Sentiment May Hurt US Firms

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) - Advertising executive Keith Reinhard has a message for U.S. companies: America's tarnished image may soon hurt your bottom lines.

Reinhard says growing anti-American sentiments and their impact on international sales aren't subjects corporations like to discuss publicly. But he says more executives are paying attention to warnings about shifting attitudes abroad.

"Sooner or later, anti-Americanism has got to be bad for business," said Reinhard, president of Business for Diplomatic Action and chairman of the New York ad agency DDB Worldwide. "In marketing, we know that changes in behavior inevitably follow changes in attitude."

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/invest-corp/2005/oct/13/101302749.html

[tuvor]

10. I'm sure I read a similar story a year or two ago. n/t

[expatriot]

12. nearly three years ago...

in the fall, winter and spring leading up to the invasion of Iraq, many progressive businessmen gave very similar warnings. They had the catch phrase "Make money, not war." Although the idea that anti-Americanism abroad naturally hurts the full potential for American branding abroad is a common sense one that has been around for at least decades.

[lies and propaganda]

11. whatever it takes to have shitty movies not made

I am for.

[salin]

13. don't worry, your president has sent Karen Hughes to

solve the "image problem"... and her first steps out seem... well... as inept and foolhardy as everything else in this administration. So perhaps you should worry. That old be careful of what you (bus. execs) wish for....

[llmart]

14. Yeah, but we really hurt them........

when we stopped eating French fries and we'll do it again if we have to because we're the all mighty, all powerful U S of A! No one can touch us!

(Major sarcasm alert.)

[spooky3]

22. this story is now on yahoo.com--vote it up!

[UpInArms]

15. Putting lipstick on a pig will not make the pig pretty.

This country under the misleadership of this mal-administration has become Ugly America.

We invade, destroy and disrupt any sovereign nation at the whim of madmen.

[librechik]

16. anyone with a degree in turd polishing? Your country needs you!

we need to clean up our actions before we can clean up our image. And the Shrimp is not going to do anything like that anytime soon.

[rocktivity]

17. Repair the U.S., Rocknation says

It's not the image, it's the REALITY, stupid.

:headbang:
rocknation

[donkeyotay]

20. More lipstick on the pig or accountability? Hmmm...

The pig is getting a little old, and I've always heard that too much makeup just makes you look older.

On the other hand, if America went for actual accountability, the world would rejoice with us.

[CJCRANE]

18. Too broken to repair,

take it to the scrapyard, then get a brand new image with new policies that people like.

on edit: or even scrap this current one, then get the image of America in the 90's back. Most people seemed to like that one, or at least didn't mind it too much.

[AndyTiedye]

19. It ISN'T OK to be Hated as Long as You Are Feared

despite what Caligula and George Bush said.

Being hated and feared is BAD FOR BUSINESS!

[Voltaire99]

21. But alas for this plan, the rest of the world isn't quite as stupid...

...as the people who fell for Bushism at home.

They've made up their mind for themselves, a habit lost in lock-step America. And by refusing to buy imperial product, they're making a choice that goes much deeper than mere advertising can reach.