How not to behave like an "Ugly American" article from the WSJ

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How not to behave like an "Ugly American" article from the WSJ

Teaching Americans How to Behave Abroad
Fearing Anti-U.S. Backlash, Big Companies Team Up To Offer Advice to Executives

By Scott McCartney
Wall Street Journal Online

Trying to combat anti-U.S. sentiment abroad, a campaign is under way to give the "ugly American" a makeover and improve the manners of business travelers overseas.

Employees and executives of some big corporations who are bound for other countries will receive a "World Citizens Guide" brochure with 16 tips to improve the image of the U.S., such as trying to speak a little of foreign languages and refraining from too much talk of wealth, power, status or American pride. The program starts next month and will expand in the fall to include a one-day seminar.

"We are broadly seen throughout the world as an arrogant people, totally self-absorbed and loud," said Keith Reinhard, chairman emeritus of DDB Worldwide Inc. who is leading the effort through a group called Business for Diplomatic Action Inc., a nonprofit organization that tries to get U.S. companies to work to improve the reputation of the U.S. in the world.

AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, Loews Hotels Corp. and Novell Inc. have all signed up for the program, the group says. Exxon Mobil Corp., Microsoft Corp., McDonald's Corp. and Weyerhaeuser Co. have officials on the board of Business for Diplomatic Action, and are expected to join the campaign, which is being funded by the National Business Travelers Association, a group of corporate travel managers. More than 40 large companies have been approached so far, according to NBTA, and about half expressed interest in participating.

Of course, major U.S. foreign-policy decisions and events like the Iraq war far outweigh manners when it comes to shaping the perception of Americans overseas. Some companies, in fact, cringe at the suggestion that their employees and executives are in need of "Miss Manners"-style lessons, and Mr. Reinhard's group runs into doubters who say personal interactions will do little to greatly shift the perception of U.S. citizens around the world. Indeed, a State Department effort to enlist Madison Avenue to boost America's image globally fell flat shortly after Sept. 11, 2001.

Business for Diplomatic Action has held discussions with the State Department about distributing its World Citizens Guide to every U.S. passport holder and putting it on the State Department's Web site. The group met in December with Karen Hughes, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy. No decisions have been made yet on the pamphlets.

The group's advice includes tried-and-true international travel suggestions, such as reminders that in Japan it is considered rude to look directly in the eye for more than a few seconds, and in Greece the hand-waving gesture commonly used in America for goodbye is considered an insult.

But it also goes after stereotypical American traits such as boastfulness, loudness and speed. The guide urges travelers to eat slower, speak slower, move slower and dress up when abroad since casual dress can be a sign of disrespect. Tone down talk of religion, politics and national pride, as well as your voice. "Listen as much as you talk," the guide says, and "save the lectures for your kids..

"Anger, impatience and rudeness are universal turnoffs," the guide says, imploring employees to "Help your country while you travel for your company."

Mr. Reinhard, a prominent advertising executive who created slogans like "You deserve a break today" and "Two all-beef patties..." said he started looking for ways to polish the image of the U.S. when he heard President Bush express dismay shortly after Sept. 11 that "people did not like us" in other parts of the world.

Believing this was potentially a major business issue for U.S. firms selling goods and services abroad, he launched a research effort inside his advertising agency, a unit of Omnicom Group. A polling firm sent questionnaires to people in 130 countries asking how America was viewed and what Americans could do to make a better impression overseas, and task forces from Omnicom studied results and interviewed business executives around the world.

The positive results were as expected: post-Sept. 11 sympathy for the nation, and a view that America is a land of wealth, opportunity, innovation, creativity and benevolence.

But the negatives were consistent and strident, centering on a belief that Americans have a lack of respect for other peoples and are concerned only for themselves. People interviewed for the survey, some videotaped, talked of Americans never listening and showing little regard for local customs. A corporate executive from Düsseldorf, Germany, expressed dismay that Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s employees gather every morning to recite a company cheer, something that may build team spirit in U.S. stores, but comes off as offensive and arrogant to German workers. A Wal-Mart spokeswoman says the cheer is optional in Germany, and some stores don't participate.

The nonprofit Business for Diplomatic Action was started in 2004, using the research interviews to draft a list of suggestions for Americans traveling and working abroad. Last year, BDA began distributing 200,000 passport-size guides at no cost to college students heading off to study abroad, created with help from advertising students at Southern Methodist University. Now, the focus has turned to business travelers. "Business has a role to play in the reputation of the United States," Mr. Reinhard said.

Along with other travel groups, Business for Diplomatic Action and the National Business Travelers Association have also been lobbying the State Department for improved processing of foreign visitors to the U.S. Travel to the U.S. from other countries is still below 2000 levels, in part because tighter visa and border procedures have made it more difficult to enter the country.

A push to promote the image of the U.S. has backfired before. Shortly after the 2001 terrorist attacks, Madison Avenue executive Charlotte Beers was confirmed as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and produced an advertising campaign showing Muslims integrated into American society. Many target countries declined to show the campaign, and Ms. Beers resigned.

Instead of advertising the virtues of America, Mr. Reinhard thinks the U.S. will be better served by getting Americans who make the approximately 60 million trips abroad each year to be more virtuous -- simply behaving better. His effort, however, has drawn some criticism in the corporate world as being perhaps too politically motivated and critical of the Bush administration -- charges he denies.

Posted 4/28/06 9:23 AM