How Trump has rebuilt his personal brand

Love him or hate him, you can’t escape him.

The businessman-turned-celebrity-turned-politician is one of the most controversial public figures on the planet.

And his brand is so strong, you already know who I’m talking about.

The infamous Donald John Trump.

45th President of the United States. And potentially, 47th, depending on the outcome of this election.

We've already analysed both Biden's and Kamala’s personal brands and marketing tactics.

But, no matter how you feel about Trump, it's impossible to ignore how he's used some powerful marketing techniques over the last several years.

He is an expert communication and political marketing strategist.

Albeit a polarising one.

People are either all in for Trump, storming the capitol in his name, or they hate him with the fire of a thousand suns, rioting at every move he makes.

However, something incredibly confounding is happening in America. The once least liked president ever (according to polls) is becoming more popular??

Yes, you read that right. The twice impeached, multiply-indicted former president is getting more popular by the day. Particularly after he was almost assassinated at a campaign rally two weeks ago, bumping his approval rating up to 40%, the highest it’s been since 2020.

And that number appears to be growing, sitting at 48% as of Sunday.

Americans' perception of Trump has been steadily improving for a while now.

And it has significantly increased among Black and Latino Americans, younger voters, and working-class people.

Need I remind you this is a man whose last inauguration was met with a string of violent protests? Which begs the question: how on EARTH does someone pull that kind of a turnaround on their brand image?

He found a genie in a bottle and made three wishes? We can’t know for sure.

What we can see is a change to Trump's campaign strategy. And that very well may be the reason for his increased likeability among U.S. citizens.

So what has changed this time around?

Well, the first major difference is he's running a much quieter campaign compared to his last one.

Trump was heavily judged for his all-consuming media presence throughout the 2016 cycle and for his long-winded reelection campaign in 2019. His Twitter rants and chaotic press conferences demanded attention the same way a 4-year-old does.

But these seem to have muted. He no longer appears to be an ever-present figure in daily life as he used to be.

The truth is, there is only so much Trump can do to shock the public. And Americans are already faced with enough jarring moments daily. Risking fatigue could send his campaign back down the rabbit hole.

Trump appears to be tapping into a current trend called quiet marketing.

We live in a world where every product, person, and process screams for attention. So, a nuanced and more subtle approach can engage your audience in a more understated and genuine manner.

Loud, intrusive strategies can often feel like a bombardment and can turn favour away from the brand. Quiet marketing prioritises listening, understanding, and engaging on a more personal level.

You don’t have to listen very hard to know that the economy is the top issue for all voters.

This is particularly the case for Black, Latino and working-class Americans. Trump made the booming pre-pandemic economy central to his re-election pitch four years ago. And he’s brought it back as the central argument against the Democratic Party.

Biden's economy has been met with widespread pessimism. Inflation, higher interest rates, and mixed views about the post-Covid recovery have been the Democrats’ biggest liabilities.

A NYT poll from March of this year revealed that Black voters feel as bad about the economy as their white counterparts. Latino voters feel even worse. Voters under the age of 30 feel worse about the economy than older cohorts.

Young people and Latino voters also feel strongly that the economy is worse now than it was right before the pandemic.

At the same time, many Americans remember the Trump economy in better terms than they view the current one.

Many of the pandemic's effects in both presidential terms were out of each leader’s control. But that doesn’t change the fact that many believe Biden bears more blame than Trump for the state of things.

This is a perfect narrative for Trump to latch onto. And it's the perfect way to capture new (and unlikely) audiences in the process.

I’m interested to see how this all plays out, but I know one thing for certain--Trump is living proof that no matter how bad it gets, you can always turn your brand around.

I have to hand it to him--the man has grit.

It’s a crazy world we live in, and nothing is really off the cards. Is Donald Trump set to be America's next President? In a few short months, we'll find out.

-Sophie, Writer