http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/09/business/worldbusiness/09BRAN.html?pagewanted=all&position=War and Abuse Do Little to Harm U.S. BrandsBy SIMON ROMERO
Published: May 9, 2004
RANKFURT, May 8 — When American troops moved into Iraq last year, European executives at the Ford Motor Company braced for an adverse consumer reaction.
"Our sales and image and market share are things we monitor extremely closely," said Niel Golightly, a Ford spokesman in Cologne, Germany. "So the potential fallout risk from Ford being perceived as a symbol of America's foreign policy is something we're always looking at."
But aside from a single incident at a dealership in Italy last year, the company has seen no evidence that widespread anti-Americanism abroad has been aimed at the well-known Ford brand. In Europe, Mr. Golightly said, Ford's market share has remained steady, and sales are expected to improve slightly this quarter. And the business outlook remains upbeat despite recent developments in Iraq, including the revelation of photographs depicting the humiliation of Iraqi prisoners by American soldiers.
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