PATTERNS – Business practices
I would like to continue my discussion of how past is prologue by observing how he seemed to view his businesses.
The underlying theme of Mr. Trump and his development of the Trump Organization seems to a continued focus on defining and promoting his “brand.” As a young man, he was constantly in the public eye, creating the image of the young, energetic, celebrity bon vivant. He was photographed partying, chasing women, clubbing, and generally being the man-about-town. He not only encouraged, but traded on, press attention. He seemed to be trying to be the New York Hugh Hefner, without the attention to Jazz or literature.
Celebrity, itself, seems to have been the goal, much like Paris Hilton, Pia Zadora, Zsa Zsa Gabor, or the Kardashians. Fame embossed the “Trump” brand with wealth, power, sex, and influence.
He endowed all of his ventures with the Trump brand. Trump Tower, Trump Steaks, Trump University, Trump Magazine, Trump Water, the Trump Bible, Trump Shuttle, Trump National Golf Course, etc., etc., etc.
He promoted the Trump brand by claiming that he owned only the best properties, the best hotels, the best office buildings, the best golf courses.
Within days of the tragedy on 9/11 he claimed that: "40 Wall Street actually was the second-tallest building in downtown Manhattan, and it was actually, before the World Trade Center, was the tallest — and then, when they built the World Trade Center, it became known as the second tallest. And now it’s the tallest.” It actually was shorter than the building on 70 Pine Street and now there are over 30 buildings taller. But as part of the Branding, he ignores the fact that he didn’t build 40 Wall Street, it was built before he was born in the early 1930’s, and he didn’t purchase it until 1995.
The importance of Branding is evident in how he runs his business. He is the face of the organization. He is the boss. Nothing gets done without his say-so. No bills get paid without his signature, which is done with a black marker and is iconic itself. The legal department in his organization is there not to advise him of what he may or may not do, but to find legal arguments to allow him to do what he wants to do, and to provide ammunition to out-arm those he sees as his adversaries whether they be vendors, competitors or regulators, making attacking him (whether justified or not) too expensive and time consuming to be practical.
Any success in his company MUST be credited to him. No one is allowed to take credit for any success. There are virtually no press releases praising someone in his organization for a deal. However, if something goes wrong, he blames other people who were corrupt or crazy; or he claims to have known nothing about that issue, that you would need to “ask him or her about it”, he wasn’t involved.
Promises do not mean anything if the results would tarnish the Brand.
This was true from the outset. The first project, the one that placed Mr. Trump in the headlines, was the construction of Trump Tower on 5th Avenue. It was the first foray into Manhattan for the Trumps, as Fred Trump had focused on the outer boroughs. Trump Tower occupies the former site of Bonwit Teller’s flagship store, which had been considered an architecturally significant building in NYC. Close to the top of the 11-story Bonwit’s building there were two limestone bas-relief sculptures and as part of the agreement with the city permitting its demolition, Mr. Trump had promised to remove those sculptures as well as the 6x9 meter geometric-patterned bronze latticework that hung over the entrance and donate them to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
On June 5, 1980, a demolition crew jackhammered the sculptures off of the façade, depositing them into the interior of the building, where they fell to the floor and broke into millions of pieces. In addition, the intricate grillwork was removed and has disappeared. The destruction drew a public outcry. The Met received no advance notice.
According to “John Barron”, a pseudonym that Mr. Trump often used when speaking to the press by phone, three independent experts had found that the works had “no artistic value”, and were worth at most an estimated $9,000, and that the removal would have cost $32,000 and delayed demolition by a week and a half, resulting in a loss to the developer of $500,000. However, in the middle of the night, Bonwit’s was demolished and the sculptures destroyed. The next day “Barron” said that the bronze latticework was missing; “we don’t know what happened to it.”
Four days after this, Mr. Trump contacted the NYT himself and explained that he, himself had ordered the destruction of the reliefs: “…because their removal could have cost more than $500,000 in taxes, demolition delays and other expenses, and might have endangered passing pedestrians on Fifth Avenue. My biggest concern was the safety of the people on the street below.”
The Met never received the sculptures and Mr. Trump merely said “oops” and blamed the destruction on the crew, who did it without his knowing about it.
Over the years, the business morphed from a real estate company into a licensing company. Using the Trump Brand, the Organization now simply provides the brand to a string of buildings that provide either cash or equity for the use of the name.
Mr. Trump has never filed for personal bankruptcy.
That would be bad for the brand.
His corporations have filed for bankruptcy six times.
The Taj Mahal bankruptcy eliminated his possession of his yacht and his airline Trump Shuttle.
The Trump Castle bankruptcy eliminated his ownership and was renamed the Golden Nugget.
He lost the Plaza Hotel in bankruptcy.
He lost the Trump Plaza Casino in bankruptcy to Harrah’s.
He lost the Trump Entertainment Resorts to the bond holders.
He lost the Taj Mahal to Carl Icahn who then sold it to Hard Rock.
The Apprentice was the ultimate Brand advertisement. Sitting in a set designed to look like what the designers would have liked his own personal board room to look like, he portrayed a hugely successful businessman, sitting at the head of the table and deciding who gets to stay and who is forced to leave. The ultimate prize? A position at one of his own properties.
As President, Mr. Trump continues to follow this pattern. He has appointed as Attorney General someone who agrees that the purpose of the DOJ is to defend Mr. Trump and his policies without question as to the nature of those policies. His Cabinet Secretaries are required to praise him in public around their conference table, because that demonstrates that he and only he is in charge.
He wants to “Make America Great Again.” Branding - enhanced by logos and icons.
Branding.
Show the American Flag as much as possible; wear it on your lapel, hug it, display it behind you all the time.
He views the Presidency as a position akin to CEO and Chairman of the Board. As we have seen, he takes full credit for anything that is achieved, and no knowledge about anything that is negative: “I don’t know anything about that; you have to ask Michael.”
He claims to be “the greatest President in the history of this country.” And to show his power he threatens our closest allies, our closest friends. He threatens economic war and invasions, even of Canada, our closest neighbor and largest trading partner. All of this is designed to inflate the “Trump’s America” brand.
Branding requires repetition in speech and in advertising: We get “Make America Great Again” and “Make America Rich Again”, and “Make America Safe Again”, and so on, repeated over and over in speeches, in commercials, in video boards behind Mr. Trump when he speaks, on hats and in chants.
Branding requires and profits from merchandising.
Between Election Day and Inauguration, The Trump Store (run by and for the Trump Organization) added 168 new branded products to the 1,500 other products in the catalogue including a $200 MAGA Victory Blanket, $30 Inauguration Seal Mugs, and a $550 “45-47” Bling Clutch bag.
The Trump model for branding his campaign used targeted audiences and segmentation. He developed a commercial and celebrity brand for a political candidate. He focused his attention on creating an ubiquitous brand which allowed him to rise above other candidates.
President Donald Trump has effectively leveraged his personal brand to influence the perception and direction of the U.S. presidency. Prior to his political career, Trump was renowned for his real estate ventures and as the star of the reality TV show "The Apprentice." This established a public persona characterized by wealth, decisiveness, and a flair for self-promotion. Trump's transition into politics saw him transpose these branding elements into his presidential image, emphasizing direct communication, a combative stance against perceived adversaries, and a focus on nationalistic policies. Adam Insights
Central to Trump's branding strategy is the concept of "America First," a slogan he revived during his 2016 campaign. This approach underscored a commitment to prioritize U.S. interests in both domestic and foreign policies, resonating with a significant portion of the electorate. His administration's policies often mirrored this branding, favoring unilateral actions and expressing skepticism toward international agreements and organizations.
Trump's adeptness at media manipulation further reinforced his brand. His frequent use of social media platforms, particularly Twitter, allowed him to bypass traditional media channels and communicate directly with the public. This strategy ensured his messages reached supporters unfiltered, maintaining a consistent and influential public presence. Additionally, his administration's unconventional tactics, such as the appointment of allies to key positions and the restructuring of federal agencies, were consistent with his brand's emphasis on disruption and change. Life Planner / Adam Insights Vox
In essence, Trump's presidency can be viewed as an extension of his personal brand, characterized by assertiveness, a focus on national interests, and a mastery of media engagement. This branding has left a lasting imprint on American political culture, influencing how future candidates may approach political marketing and public engagement.