Reinhard, who is chairman of DDB, told the Association of National Advertisers conference that foreigners view Americans as arrogant, that there are fears that American brands are taking over from local ones. He also said that the war in Iraq had worsened tensions between the US and other countries.
"America is a good brand, but a brand that is losing friends around the world. We believe that this is a business issue," he said.
The new group, known provisionally as the Taskforce to Mobilise American Business for Public Diplomacy would focus on developing programmes to help change perceptions of America, rather than creating advertising. This could include advising Americans who are setting up businesses abroad and identifying examples of best practice for companies working overseas.
Joining Reinhard and Grey Worldwide president Blamer will be Tim Love, vice-chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide, along with marketing executives from leading American brands such as McDonald's, American Airlines and Warner Bros. Other business leaders are to be recruited next year.
While the taskforce is specifically aimed at stemming the negative impact on business, the US government has already taken steps to improve the image of the country by launching a magazine in Arabic called Hi. The title launched in July, with the first issue featuring an interview with Grammy award-winning artist Norah Jones, daughter of Ravi Shankar, and a story about Arabic students in the US, saying how much they enjoyed their freedoms.
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