Marketing Donald Trump
As pundits and pollsters continue to weigh in the outcome of the recently concluded elections in the United States, there is no denying that marketing played a major role in President Donald Trump’s win. Notwithstanding other major factors that propelled him to the presidency, the Trump brand resonated with a number of voters sufficient enough to carry him to victory in the Electoral College although polls predicted otherwise.
The American Marketing Association defines marketing as “the activity, set of institutions, and process for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
Mr. Trump used marketing to his tremendous advantage in this election cycle, which Tor Constantino discussed in his article in Entrepreneur entitled “5 Marketing Takeaways from Trump’s Campaign.” This article was written in March 2016, when the Philippines was witnessing its own heated campaign for the presidency. The article shows a lot of similarities in the marketing tactics and techniques used by President Rodrigo Duterte and Mr. Trump during their campaigns.
First on the list of Constantino is that “shock sells.”
Shock factors, whether in politics or entertainment, have always enamored people. For example, the tirades of Mr. Trump against minorities created noise, and people either gawked in interest or disgust and sent tingles, tantrums, and turbulence using both traditional and social media.
The second takeaway is related to the first, where “free is better than paid” became an offshoot of the way media “broadcasts and print every reckless word he utters.”
Mr. Trump’s campaign kitty was reportedly one of the lowest compared with those of his peers and predecessors. This can be attributed to his party’s seeming lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy. Nonetheless, every word Mr. Trump uttered was a gold mine for media. Truly, there is no such thing as bad publicity.
The third takeaway is that “simple is better than complex.”
As shown during the televised debates, many of Mr. Trump’s pronouncements, especially on policies, programs, and projects, were rhetoric and bluster compared with those of his opponent, Hillary Clinton, a former senator and a former secretary of state. His “grossly simplistic solutions have found itching ears among a broad based, disenchanted electorate” and is evidenced by his slogan, “Make America Great Again!” This slogan could easily be understood by and resonated with disgruntled voters.
The next takeaway is that “content isn’t king, context is.”
This can be related to how his slogan made people yearn for a supposedly greater past. Although economic data show that America is prosperous and growing, Mr. Trump was able to paint a bleak present and a worse future if he would not be voted into office. He was able to capture the imagination of the electorate by painting a rosy picture of their great past and making them yearn for a similar future. Clinton’s slogan, on the other hand, was direct, but left no room for conversation. “Stronger together” did not sit well with an electorate who felt disenfranchised by the new world order.
Lastly, Mr. Trump was able to “reposition competitors” as early as the Republican primaries up to the tail end of the campaign period. He did not hesitate to call Republican competitors some combination of “liar, disaster, lightweight, fraud, loser.” In marketing, it is not enough to have a unique selling proposition. One must also learn how to reposition the proposition of other brands to increase awareness, which can translate into sales of one’s own brand.
These marketing takeaways are useful for any business person wanting to improve his or her bottom line. At the end of the day, the consumers — in this case the voters — will choose the brand that resonates with them the most.