The Trump Brand

[PJMcK]

Throughout Donald Trump's campaign for the presidency, there have been questions about his underlying motives for running. A prominent speculation has been that he wanted to expand the branding of the Trump name.

I've found that analysis to be questionable as Mr. Trump has alienated group after group of people thus hurting his business by alienating possible customers and supporters. Because of his regressive views on so many issues, major corporations and organizations have ended or limited their involvement with Donald Trump. They include Macy's, NBC Universal, Univision, NASCAR, ESPN and even the Professional Golfers Association among others. There's more information here:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/companies-dumped-donald-trump/story?id=32162703

As a marketing plan, this is not successful and will not burnish the Trump name.

In today's Newsweek article detailing the many conflicts of interest Donald Trump would face if elected president, this paragraph stands out:

In this case, even the possibility of a Trump presidency has created chaos for the Trump Organization. On December 7, when Trump called for a “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims being allowed into the United States, the reaction in the UAE was instantaneous: There were calls to boycott the Damac-Trump properties. Damac put out a statement essentially saying its deal with the Trump Organization had nothing to do with Donald Trump personally, a claim that fooled no one. On December 10, Damac removed Trump’s image and name from its properties. Two days later, the name went back up, setting off an even louder outcry. Damac’s share price dropped 15 percent amid the controversy, and it was forced to guarantee rental returns for some of its luxury properties bearing the Trump name.

Other UAE businesses with connections to Trump are also shunning the brand. The Dubai-based Landmark Group, one of the Middle East’s largest retail companies, said it was pulling products with Trump’s name off of its shelves.

Donald Trump's presidential campaign has certainly raised his Q-Rating although not in the positive way one would normally expect. If his strategy was to build his brand and value, it has failed spectacularly.