Food giant Pepsico is now fizzing in damage-control mode after the company's president likened the U.S. to a middle finger.
The remarks by Indra Nooyi, an India-born woman who also serves as PepsiCo's chief financial officer, came during a speech Sunday to graduates at Columbia Business School in New York, some of whom took offense as an anti-American attack.
She said her analogy "leaves the long, middle finger for North America, and in particular, the United States.
What is most crucial to my analogy of the five fingers as the five major continents, is that each of us in the U.S. – the long, middle finger – must be careful that when we extend our arm in either a business or political sense, we take pains to assure we are giving a hand, not the finger. Sometimes this very difficult. Because the U.S. – the middle finger – sticks out so much, we can send the wrong message unintentionally.Unfortunately, I think this is how the rest of the world looks at the U.S. right now. Not as part of the hand – giving strength and purpose to the rest of the fingers – but instead, scratching our nose and sending a far different signal.
And now, the email I sent this morning.
I am outraged by the remarks of your CFO, Indra Nooyi. No apology can negate the anti-American message in her speech. You do not get to be CFO of a company such as Pepsi and not understand the ramifications of your words. Therefore, until Indra Nooyi is terminated or resigns my family will no longer be purchasing any of your products. Pepsi has always been my preferred soft drink but I will be buying Coke from now on.
I have also checked on your other products and while we use all of them, until this woman is dismissed we will place our business elsewhere.
We are only one family of four, but I expect enough Americans, who are incensed over this, will impact your bottom line fairly quickly. Make a sound business decision and distance yourselves from this woman as quickly as possible. Delay implies ambivalence and you will pay a price if you are not immediately decisive.
Send your emails to boardofdirectors@pepsi.com
7 comments:
Thanks for making me aware of this.
BobG,
Thanks for stopping in at my site and sharing your comments. Your post here is spot-on; keep up the good work, and don't let Pepsi off the hook!
She gets $8,740,000 a year from Pepsico! My reply.
People ought to be able to say whatever they think is relevant during their own speech. Who is the judge of what is appropriate or relevant? Should she have sent you a copy of the speech ahead of time to make sure you think it is ok? It seems to me the gist of her speech is a warning against arrogance. That seems to be a logical and appropriate warning for the most powerful country in the world. It’s not America bashing if she is providing her opinion on how America can be better appreciated by the rest of the world. Some people make it a habit to provide constructive suggestions to any group they are a part. And some people can’t handle anything more controversial than preaching to the converted.
Why is it usually the anonymous ones that drop their load and go? No, she didn't need to send me her pathetic speech. Oh, that acerbic wit of yours is just too stinging.
Freedom of speech has consequences. Some may be positive and some may be negative. Nooyi is having that experience.
It is America bashing when you compare this country to the middle finger. There are ways to constructively criticize your country and still show you love it. As the CFO of a major corporation she should be adept at expressing herself which is why her apology now rings hollow.
As for who should judge? When she talks about The United States, I as an American have the right to judge.
Someday, with proper treatment your reasoning faculties and judgment may return to you. When that happens please feel free to return.
She said this in a commencement speech ANONYMOUS! There is a time and place for freedom of speech, not everything is appropriate to vocalize whenever or wherever you want! She should have shown some class and saved it for her cronies.
She has every right to say what she feels is appropriate. I have every rightb to extend my middle finger to her corporation and refrain from purchasing their products.
PEPSI CHALLANGE??? No Pessi - COKE!!
Post a Comment