Geneva’s Open-Air July 4 Celebrations, The Largest Outside The US, Are Cancelled This Year And That Tells The Story of How American Sponsorship Abroad, Indeed American Companies Abroad, Have Changed

The annual celebrations, started in 1952, are said to be the largest such “party” of its type outside the US. People flock not just from Geneva but the surrounding cantons and neighboring France. The city makes available a huge outdoors sporting facility, public transport puts on extra buses and the sponsors list read like a Who’s Who in US and European companies. If ever there was a public event that showed what was right with America then this was it. But not this year.

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The event is organized by the American International Club, but this year the club has pulled the plug for the first time because, it says, there is a lack of outside sponsors.

Geneva is the European headquarters for such huge American companies as Procter & Gamble and Caterpillar. Gillette used to be one of the top three sponsors but now it has been incorporated into P&G. Also showing up on last year’s sponsor list were such heavyweights as CitiGroup, Hewlett Packard, Alcoa, and McDonalds.

The problem this year is two-fold and it sheds an interesting light on what is happening to American companies and/or American brands overseas. Firstly, they’re not so American any more. The accountants figured out a long time back that it is really expensive to ship an American overseas to do a job that could just as well be done by a local. With the locals there are no home leaves, no furniture storage fees, no school fees, no housing costs, and usually less salary. So, while it may be an American company overseas there may not be too many Americans actually working any more in that company overseas. Geneva is filled with international organizations and NGO’s but overwhelming anecdotal evidence suggests Americans are no longer welcome.

And the local staff may not have the same appreciation of a July 4th celebration as might American staff.

And secondly there are so many cultural events now on the calendar that hit up companies for sponsorship that there is only so much that can be supported. In Geneva now there has been an explosion of cultural events in the past few years in July. What’s a sponsor to do? No doubt, pick out those events that will provide the biggest return for the buck.

Andy Sundberg, president of the Geneva American Citizens Abroad summed it up. “It’s a shame. The cancellation is a surprise. The big US companies used to be more active in Geneva and a lot more generous… A lot of the Americans who used to work in these companies have been replaced by people of other nationalities.”

There could also be a third reason. In the never-ending quest to save costs and improve the bottom line sponsorship of such events are usually the first to suffer.

Last year more than 35,000 enjoyed the event for free (except for the food). American International Club members – many of whom are not American – spend hours in the planning and running the event, all on a voluntary basis. The city of Geneva is a strong supporter, not only making available the facilities but ensuring the security – a particular concern after 9/11.

The event was first held in a Geneva park in 1952. There was some music, some dancing, one carrousel for the kids, and a few fireworks. In 54 years it had grown to be the largest such US Independence Day celebration outside the US.

Perhaps it was just as well. The heavens opened up Tuesday in Geneva and the rain has been coming down, as the Brits (who do have a certain interest in Independence Day) say, cats and dogs. The huge quagmire that would have been the host for the July 4 celebrations would have been a muddy disaster. And the rain is expected to last through Wednesday. As we said originally, Come rain or shine, usually rain ... (July 4, 2007)