Response from Board of Directors of Pepsico, Indra Nooyi's "5 Finger Speech" Columbia U.

self | self

[Mr. D]

Dear Mr. Laughter,

Thank you for contacting us about Indra Nooyi’s recent commencement speech at Columbia University, which has created a difficult situation.

Please know how sorry we are for disappointing you – and how much we appreciate your input. Feedback such as yours has been shared directly with Indra, and she clearly regrets this unfortunate episode. With that in mind, Indra has asked us to share this statement with you:

"Following my remarks to the graduating class of Columbia University's Business School in New York City, I have come to realize that my words and examples about America unintentionally depicted our country negatively and hurt people.

I appreciate the honest comments that have been shared with me since then, and am deeply sorry for offending anyone. I love America unshakably -- without hesitation -- and am extremely grateful for the opportunities and support our great nation has always provided me.

"Over the years I've witnessed and advised others how a thoughtless gesture or comment can hurt good, caring people. Regrettably, I've proven my own point. Please accept my sincere apologies."

-- Indra Nooyi

Thanks once more for taking the time to contact us here at PepsiCo. We truly value your very conscientious point of view, and promise to work just as diligently at regaining your trust and confidence.

Sincerely,

PepsiCo

[Mr. D]

Lame excuse and response from Ms. Nooyi. She is smart enough to know what she originally professed were her true thoughts and feelings. Nice try to back track!

[NonValueAdded]

If the words were unintentional, perhaps she could enlighten us as to what were her actual intentions. Or would that violate the rule that "when you find yourself in a hole, it is best to stop digging."

[newgeezer]

I hope to convince my Pepsi-loving wife to switch to RC Cola.

[Mr. D]

Just finished my lunch. During my visit to the cafeteria, I had a choice between Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, I remembered my promise. Long live Coca Cola! Boycott Pepsi and their family of procucts and restaurants.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Maybe she drinks too much of the product of Russia.
Pepsi traded its cola for vodka.

[raivyn]

blah blah blah, Indra...

[NCSteve]

"Over the years I've witnessed and advised others how a thoughtless gesture or comment can hurt good, caring people. Regrettably, I've proven my own point. Please accept my sincere apologies."

Sounds like a sincere apology to me. Of course many on FR will not be happy until/unless she throws herself under a bus. So much energy wasted on yet another tempest in a teapot.

[George Smiley]

Get her to try the new Diet Coke with Splenda.

I brought a 20 oz. bottle home recently and the wife and kids all wanted to taste it.

And upon doing so, they all wanted me to immediately go out and pick up more.

This was at 10:30 at night, by the way.

[ElkGroveDan]

I hope to convince my Pepsi-loving wife to switch to RC Cola.

Reminds me of that old Dr. Demento number:

Bring a load-a,
RC Cola
TV dinner
plate-a twinkies
takes a pink burrito
for to keep me clean

[wolfpat]

I got the same letter. I'm drinking tea.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Sounds like a sincere apology to me.

I agree with you, to an extent. However, I do not believe that a deeply partriotic American would ever have made such a mistake in a million years. We don't know each other, but I'm guessing that as a FReeper, you would have never said such a thing, even on your most careless day.

On a certain level I do have to believe her initial comments reflect her true thinking, or at least that her internal patriotic reflex is very weak.

[NCSteve]

Be careful. Splenda has an unfortunate side effect in quite a few people. It can cause an embarrassing social faux pas that ranges from a minor whoopsie to a roaring bull moose.

I prefer Splenda to aspartame hands down anyway, though. I just have to run outside more often.

[unbalanced but fair]

their family of products

That would include Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito Lay, to name a few. And many of those have subsidiaries.

[RedRover]

I read her speech and wonder what the heck she thinks PepsiCo is: a cottage industry for battered Third World lesbians? She runs a global giant who gives small competitors the middle digit 'round the world and she has the gall to lecture us about being nice? This is Limousine Liberalism at its most absurd and appalling. If I had PepsiCo stock, I would dump it in Boston Harbor.

[theDentist]

Well, that's better than those who reply telling you to drop dead.

[NCSteve]

On a certain level I do have to believe her initial comments reflect her true thinking...

Possibly. As I said repeatedly on another thread about this, her remarks were stupid and ham-handed. For whatever reason, I am sure she regrets them.

My point is mostly that there are far more egregious examples of this that don't get half this much attention. Six months from now, most of the adamant boycotters will run into their favorite convenience store, forget all about their indignation, and run back out with their former favorite Pepsi product. Meanwhile, liberals everywhere will still be filling our kids' heads with mush.

[George Smiley]

Diet Coke alone has a propensity to generate belches that almost wake the dead.

So combining that with Splenda could be, well, quite symphonic.

Too bad there's no Olestra in there- things could get REAL interesting.

[bertmerc1]

PepsiCo has hundreds of brands. These are some of the best known.


Lay's potato chips
Lays Kettle Cooked potato chips
Wavy Lay's potato chips
Baked Lay's potato crisps
Maui Style potato chips
Ruffles potato chips
Baked Ruffles potato crisps
Ruffles Flavor Rush potato chips
Doritos tortilla chips
Baked Doritos tortilla chips
3D's snacks
Tostitos tortilla chips
Baked Tostitos tortilla chips
Santitas tortilla chips
Fritos corn chips
Cheetos cheese flavored snacks
Rold Gold pretzels & snack mix
Funyuns onion flavored rings
Go Snacks
Sunchips multigrain snacks
Sabritones puffed wheat snacks
Cracker Jack candy coated popcorn
Chester's popcorn
Grandma's cookies
Munchos potato crisps
Smartfood popcorn
Baken-ets fried pork skins
Oberto meat snacks
Rustler's meat snacks
Churrumais fried corn strips
Frito-Lay nuts
Frito-Lay, Ruffles, Fritos and Tostitos dips & salsas
Frito-Lay, Doritos and Cheetos snack crackers
Fritos, Tostitos, Ruffles and Doritos snack kits
Hickory Sticks
Hostess Potato
Lay's Stax potato crisps
Doritos Rollitos
Lay's Fries
Natural Lays
Natural Ruffles
Natural Cheetos
Natural Tostitos
Miss Vickie's potato chips
Munchies snack mix
Pepsi-Cola
Caffeine Free Pepsi
Diet Pepsi
Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi
Pepsi Twist (regular & diet)
Wild Cherry Pepsi
Pepsi Blue
Pepsi ONE
Pepsi Vanilla
Diet Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew Code Red
Diet Mountain Dew Code Red
Mountain Dew LiveWire
Mountain Dew Blueshock
Mountain Dew AMP energy drink
Mug
Sierra Mist (Regular & Diet)
Slice
Lipton Brisk (Partnership)
Lipton Iced Tea(Partnership)
Dole juices and juice drinks (License)
FruitWorks juice drinks
Aquafina purified drinking water
Frappuccino ready-to-drink coffee (Partnership)
Starbucks DoubleShot (Partnership)
SoBe juice drinks, dairy, and teas
SoBe energy drinks (No Fear and Adrenaline Rush)
Gatorade Thirst Quencher
Gatorade Frost Thirst Quencher Gatorade Fierce Thirst Quencher
Gatorade Ice Thirst Quencher Propel Fitness Water
Gatorade Xtremo Thirst Quencher
Gatorade X-Factor Thirst Quencher
Tropicana Pure Premium juices
Tropicana Twister juice drinks
Tropicana Smoothies
Tropicana Pure Tropics juices
Dole juices (License)
Tropicana 100 juices Outside North America
Tropicana Touche de Lait
Alvalle gazpacho fruit juices and vegetable juices
Tropicana Season's Best juices and juice drinks
Loóza juices and nectars
Copella juices
Frui'Vita juices
Quaker Oatmeal
Quaker Instant Oatmeal
Quaker Oatmeal Breakfast Squares
Cap'n Crunch cereal
Life cereal
Quaker Oatmeal Brown Sugar Bliss
Quaker Oatmeal Honey Nut Heaven
Quaker 100% Natural cereal
Quaker Squares cereal
Quisp cereal
King Vitaman cereal
Quaker Oh's! Cereal
Mother's cereal
Quaker grits
Quaker Oatmeal-to-Go
Aunt Jemima mixes & syrups
Quaker rice cakes
Quaker rice snacks (Quakes)
Quaker Chewy granola bars
Quaker Dipps granola bars
Rice-A-Roni side dishes
Pasta Roni side dishes
Near East side dishes
Puffed Wheat
Harvest Crunch cereal
Quaker Baking Mixes
Spudz snacks
Crisp'ums baked crisps
Quaker Fruit & Oatmeal bars
Quaker Fruit & Oatmeal Bites
Quaker Fruit and Oatmeal Toastables
Quaker Soy Crisps
Quaker Bakeries

Call the PepsiCo Board
(866) 626-0633

Write the PepsiCo Board
PepsiCo Board of Directors
PepsiCo, Inc.
700 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577

Email the PepsiCo Board
BoardofDirectors@Pepsi.com

[schwing_wifey]

Yepper,

I'm kissing Pepsi goodby and moving to Coke.

However, I will miss Quaker and Tropicana but, a woman's got to do what a woman's got to do....

and thats express my displeasure with my pocket book.

[Mr. D]

Plus fast food outlets, KFC and Taco Bell, of which I have never patronized, KFC too greasy and salty, Taco Bell, tummy and lower tract problems after eating their products.