A few weeks ago, I wrote a fairly critical post entitled “Lou Capozzi: Why the World Thinks America Sucks.” The post was based upon a podcast recorded with Mr. Capozzi, Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group, by Eric Schwartzman of “On the Record.”
I knew that I was stating some views that were likely to get people fired up, so I a) sent an email to the organization that Mr. Capozzi was representing in the podcast, Business for Diplomatic Action, as well as to a former colleague at Fleishman-Hillard who is on the board a well as to Eric Schwartzman. My hope in doing so was to state that a) the post is there so you may as well read it, and b) provide contact information in case anyone took exception with it and wanted to respond.
On November 10, I got a brief email from Cari Guittard of Business for Diplomatic Action:
Thanks for sending, CEG
Cari E. Guittard
Executive Director BusinessforDiplomaticAction
415.608.0806c
Sent by GoodLink (www.good.com)
And I thought it was done.
Not so fast.
Yesterday, I received a comment (posted here as well) from Mr. Capozzi, Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group, which I have posted in its entirety:
By now I guess it’s safe to say almost nobody saw this, since I have had no reaction from anyone other than the email you sent to BDA, but I don’t want your assessment to stand without comment.
Your post reminds me of the kind of comments you hear from right-wing talk show hosts talking about books they haven’t read, based on the title and the author!
It’s pretty clear you weren’t there to hear my talk, because if you had you would never have written this. And it sorrows me to see a fellow public relations professional so willing to shoot his mouth off without bothering to do the research first.
It’s also apparent you didn’t bother to visit the BDA website, http://www.businessfordiplomaticaction/com, because you would have found the large body of research behind the presentation.
Next time I give a talk why don’t you come to hear it before dumping on it!
Lou
Let me address your comments, Lou.
Mr. Capozzi says: “By now I guess it’s safe to say almost nobody saw this, since I have had no reaction from anyone other than the email you sent to BDA.”My response: So the presumption is that since only one person sent it to you, no one else read it? What about the comments from some of the most respected voices in the social media space, like Jason Falls, Geoff Livingston and even Eric Schwartzman himself? And I assure you, Mr. Capozzi, that this was the highest ranked post I have ever done in terms of page views. And that’s not counting others who commented about it in Twitter. Stating that no one saw it because you got it from one source is, a best, not factual. It is at worst, wishful thinking.
Mr. Capozzi says: “Your post reminds me of the kind of comments you hear from right-wing talk show hosts talking about books they haven’t read, based on the title and the author!” My response: This is the one that really has me scratching my head. Mr. Capozzi, if you had read my post carefully, you would have noted that I state, before almost anything else, the following: “Eric interviewed Lou on about his luncheon keynote at the PRSA International Conference on restoring America’s connections with the world. This took place in Detroit at the end of October. So, caveat #1: I was not there to hear the speech and #2) Mr. Capozzi was presumably limited in the amount of time that he had on Eric’s show.“ I lobbed criticism, and when you live in a glass house, you have to expect people to throw stones. But at least have your facts straight. When I state, even using the word “caveat” that I was not at the PRSA conference, but was writing about the podcast itself, it seems pretty clear, I would think, even to the uninterested observer THAT I WAS NOT AT THE CONFERENCE. I based my comments on the interview itself (pretty clear) that was posted AFTER the conference.
Mr. Capozzi says: “It’s pretty clear you weren’t there to hear my talk, because if you had you would never have written this.“My response: The answer is pretty clear from my last response, but let me say this, Mr. Capozzi: I listened to your interview with Eric three times while writing this post. IF THERE IS ONE QUOTE, ONE SYLLABLE, THAT IS FACTUALLY INCORRECT, ONE WORD THAT YOU DID NOT SAY, contact me and I will take it down. You can’t claim that you were misquoted in an autobiography.
Mr. Capozzi says:It’s also apparent you didn’t bother to visit the BDA website, http://www.businessfordiplomaticaction/com, because you would have found the large body of research behind the presentation.”
My response: I am getting carpal tunnel correcting what is a firm grasp of the obvious. You’ll note that I link to the BDA Web site in the post, so clearly I have visited it. I got Cari Guittard’s contact information from the Web site, so of course I have visited it. I saw that a former colleague on mine at Fleishman-Hillard was on the board and emailed him. All of which give a pretty good indication that I have been on the site.And finally, if you are going to criticize me for not visiting the site, the least you could do it offer the proper URL. It’s” http://www.businessfordiplomaticaction.com “not ” http://www.businessfordiplomaticaction/com“
And since we are about correcting the record, did you or did you not say:
Customs officers are “very threatening…foreboding” and that is one of the reasons why people don’t like to come to America?
“Picture the guy in Bermuda shorts with a camera and his hat turned to the side walkin’ down the Champs Elysee. We just aren’t as sensitive as we need to be to the way that we conduct ourselves’?
“There is a broad perception out there that globalization has been fueled by America…Our reputation is really in trouble,” when you work for a global public relations and communications firm who has benefited from globalization?
The bottom line is this: no one likes begin criticized. I get it. Troll this blog for people who think that I am full of it. But I expected a little more from someone who is the Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group and has spent 40 years in the public relations industry than being called a “right wing radio talk show host” and for “shoot[ing] [my] mouth off without bothering to do the research first.”
As a devotee of Shel Holtz and Neville Hobson’s “For Immediate Release” podcasts, I listened to a recent episode in which their soon-to-be correspondent, Eric Schwartzman, was interviewed. He mentioned the name of his podcast and blog, so I subscribed in iTunes.
And that’s where it went south.
I want to be clear about this post: it is in no way intended to denigrate Eric’s body of work (impressive) or even the podcast. But I could barely believe what I was hearing from Eric guest, Lou Capozzi, Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group.
Eric interviewed Lou on about his luncheon keynote at the PRSA International Conference on restoring America’s connections with the world. This took place in Detroit at the end of October. So, caveat #1: I was not there to hear the speech and #2) Mr. Capozzi was presumably limited in the amount of time that he had on Eric’s show.
The premise of the podcast was the issue of America’s declining reputation throughout the world, one week away from the presidential elections (hmm…). But I have to tell you, as I was listening to the podcast while driving to work and I had several of those moments in which I stared at my stereo in the car thinking, “did he really just say that?”
Here’s what I thought was bat-shit crazy:
Immigration People Suck
Mr. Capozzi first stated reason why people don’t like America/ns anyway is “our visa and immigration policy. We make it very difficult for people to get into this country.” Mr. Capozzi cites long lines at immigration and even the “..tone, very threatening and foreboding” of the workers who process people.Mr. Capozzi: with all due respect, you might remember the incidents of September 11, 2001. You sound like someone who must travel a lot and lines in immigration counters and surly immigration workers are, in my mind, a given. But I would much rather wait in long immigration lines than let someone in who is going to fly a plane into my building in Washington. It’s the cost of doing business, literally.He also says “if you are in McDonalds and you are trying to get your guy in from Dubai, you’ve got your hands full.” (stare at stereo moment). So if I get it right, getting an executive from one international city to another constitutes and company “having [its] hands full?” One would think that more pressing matters like the state of the global economy would constitute having one’s hands full. Getting Bob from Accounting from Dubai to New York? THAT is having your hands full? Second, presuming that people don’t like America because we don’t have shiny, happy people at America’s Front Desk, I can’t imagine that a) the percentage of people who travel to this country is so significant that they go back to their home countries, trash us and spread the word so that entire countries hate us. What I heard was a Chairman who is tired of waiting in immigration lines projecting this sentiment to one of the reasons why people hate America.
There Has Been a Broad Cooling Towards American Culture
The above are Mr. Capozzi’s words, not mine. “Music and art used to be a beacon, and American culture is not as widely embraced as it once was.” I will caveat this statement by mentioning that I was not able to attend the PRSA conference at which Mr. Capozzi spoke, but upon what is this premise based? Music sales? Box office numbers in foreign countries? Where’ the Beef?
The “Ugly American”
(Stare at the stereo moment). “The third thing is the ‘ugly American.’ Picture the guy in Bermuda shorts with a camera and his hat turned to the side walkin’ down the Champs Elysee. We just aren’t as sensitive as we need to be to the way that we conduct ourselves.” Ok. So the world hates America because of our Bermuda shorts and the way that we wear a baseball cap? Come on. Come up with a better reason than this. Say that we should learn a few phrases in French. Say that we could or should study some French culture before traveling to Paris. But to state – and I quote – “Picture the guy in Bermuda shorts with a camera and his hat turned to the side walkin’ down the Champs Elysee” is beyond oversimplification. It’s just downright stupid. Maybe Mr. Capozzi could offer American tourists some sartorial advice, but one must think that the Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group likely has more spare cash to spend on clothing that is, presumably, less offensive to our French brethren out for a stroll on the Champs Elysee.
Globalization Sucks
“There is a broad perception out there that globalization has been fueled by America…Our reputation is really in trouble.”
(stare at stereo moment). Mr. Capozzi states that companies like Coca Cola, McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken have led the charge that American is fueling globalization, a concept that “is not accepted universally.” Mr. Capozzi, I would assume that a veteran of 40 years in the PR business and now the Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group, would understand that law of supply and demand. If we build a KFC in Moscow and they reject it, the basic tenets of capitalism will kick in, no one will go there and the store will close. To state that the “Kentucky Fried Chicken effect” is why people hate America is, a best, naïve, and at worst, stupid. If people do not want American products and services, they won’t buy them. Period. And one more note: for your employees’ sake, I sincerely hope that none of the agencies in the Publicis Group have as clients Coke, KFC, American Airlines, Nike or any other of the global brands that you malign as the cause of why people hate America. If they are, you just shot yourself in the loafers.
WAIT- Globalization Doesn’t Suck – When I Benefit From It
What I found amazing about this is that Mr. Capozzi then talks about the importance of diversifying his international portfolio of agencies: “We weather downturns in an economy with upturns in another.” Through globalization of your business.
Eric, I mean no disrespect to you whatsoever in this post and understand completely that it is your job to ask questions in a podcast – and no necessarily unscripted follow-up questions. I further caveat what I am about to say by stating that I sincerely hope that Mr. Capozzi offered some statistics to back up his assertations. But here is why what his guys said makes zero sense to me:
He denigrates American culture and states that it is in decline. How about iTunes sales? How about box office numbers? How about Web site hits? Without hearing hard statistics to back this up, it is pure supposition. And Mr. Capozzi also waxes poetic about the “cultural goodwill tours, like when Louis Armstrong when to France.” In under two minutes, I Googled Louis Armstrong, found You Tube videos and also grabbed “What a Wonderful World” on iTunes. We have this thing called the “Internet” now which I think comes on computers.
When I looked up contact information for the Publicis Groupe, I’ll give you three guesses where they are headquarted…ok.. time’s up. The Champs Elysee in Paris!! By denigrating the “ugly American…in Bermuda shorts walking down the Champs Elysee” this reeks to me of pandering to the corporate masters. I guess you need to stop going out for lunch, Lou.
The Publicis Group has, according to their Web site, “44,000 employees in 196 cities in 104 countries,” and you are criticizing globalization? Globalization is paying your salary, Mr. Capozzi, and you just bit the hand that feeds you. And as I mentioned above, you should pray to God that none of your employees represents any of the global brands which you denigrated in your interview.
At the end of your interview, you mentioned depending upon the digital portions of your agency portfolio. The Publicis Web site is a mixture of French and English – not in separate parts, but together. Fox example, the English search game me “resultats” including “28 Octobre 2008” of “Third Quarter Revenue.” How do you expect clients – or any client – to think that you take social media or even basic Web site development seriously if you cannot even separate French and English on your own site?
Finally, and the point that scares the hell out of me, is that Mr. Capozzi is on the Board of Directors for Business for Diplomatic Action, “…a private-sector a-political non-profit directed by “preeminent” [quotations added for sarcasm] communications, marketing, political science, global development and media professionals. BDA’s mission is to enlist the U.S. business community in actions to improve the standing and reputation of America in the world. The organization is leading the private sector effort to provide constructive business solutions for public diplomacy programs and initiatives.”
So to review, BDA: your Board member suggested that:
If we change the way we look and act, lose the Bermuda shorts and baseball caps turned sideways, people will like us better.
Immigration people suck and are surly. If they were nicer, people will like us better.
Globalization sucks, yet you have made your fortune out of climbing to the top of – umm..a GLOBAL agency.”
@DougH HEY DOUG! I've got this half-assed, harebrained idea and could use your free consulting advice that you get paid for otherwise!!! http://twitter.com/mstory123
The post was based upon a podcast recorded with Mr. Capozzi, Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group, by Eric Schwartzman of “On the Record.”
on about his luncheon keynote at the PRSA International Conference on restoring America’s connections with the world. This took place in Detroit at the end of October. So, caveat #1: I was not there to hear the speech and #2) Mr. Capozzi was presumably limited in the amount of time that he had on Eric’s show.“ I lobbed criticism, and when you live in a glass house, you have to expect people to throw stones. But at least have your facts straight. When I state, even using the word “caveat” that I was not at the PRSA conference, but was writing about the podcast itself, it seems pretty clear, I would think, even to the uninterested observer THAT I WAS NOT AT THE CONFERENCE. I based my comments on the interview itself (pretty clear) that was posted AFTER the conference.
who process people.Mr. Capozzi: with all due respect, you might remember the 
shorts with a camera and his hat turned to the side walkin’ down the Champs Elysee. We just aren’t as sensitive as we need to be to the way that we conduct ourselves.” Ok. So the world hates America because of our Bermuda shorts and the way that we wear a baseball cap? Come on. Come up with a better reason than this. Say that we should learn a few phrases in French. Say that we could or should study some French culture before traveling to Paris. But to state – and I quote – “Picture the guy in Bermuda shorts with a camera and his hat turned to the side walkin’ down the Champs Elysee” is beyond oversimplification. It’s just downright stupid. Maybe Mr. Capozzi could offer American tourists some sartorial advice, but one must think that the Chairman Emeritus of Publicis Public Relations and Corporate Communications Group likely has more spare cash to spend on clothing that is, presumably, less offensive to our French brethren out for a stroll on the Champs Elysee.
By now I guess it’s safe to say almost nobody saw this, since I have had no reaction from anyone other than the email you sent to BDA, but I don’t want your assessment to stand without comment.
Your post reminds me of the kind of comments you hear from right-wing talk show hosts talking about books they haven’t read, based on the title and the author!
It’s pretty clear you weren’t there to hear my talk, because if you had you would never have written this. And it sorrows me to see a fellow public relations professional so willing to shoot his mouth off without bothering to do the research first.
It’s also apparent you didn’t bother to visit the BDA website, http://www.businessfordiplomaticaction/com, because you would have found the large body of research behind the presentation.
Next time I give a talk why don’t you come to hear it before dumping on it!
Lou