Trump & Brand Destruction

July 6, 2015

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Donald Trump joined the GOP presidential race and immediately has shown he’s a force to be reckoned with. What he didn’t anticipate was that his braggadocio would be his undoing and is undermining his presidential pursuits and the GOP.

Some in the GOP may like his “telling it like it is.” When he characterized Hispanics inappropriately, I was appalled–I wasn’t alone. From the Washington Post article Donald Trump is on the rise–that’s very bad news for the GOP:

Latinos are paying attention to what he’s saying, and it can’t help but taint his fellow Republicans. As you might recall, in his announcement speech, Trump basically called every Mexican immigrant in the United States a low-life. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” he said. “They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” In response, Univision pulled out of broadcasting the Miss Universe pageant, which Trump co-owns, and NBC dropped him as well. In Mexico, people are making Trump piñatas.

In pandering to the GOP, Trump is guilty of generalizing the specifics of a few to an entire ethnic group. Since he offered his despicable words, he has lost his show “The Apprentice” and been dropped by Macy’s, NASCAR, and other groups not wanting to see their brands associated with the Trump name. Good for them!

Companies need to diligently protect their brands. What are people saying about your brand? Does the commentary about your brand align with your aspirations? If there are gaps, what are you doing about it?

Thought for the week:

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” – Charles R. Swindoll
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What do you think? I welcome your comments!
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Dave Gardner, Gardner & Associates Consulting http://www.gardnerandassoc.com

© 2015 Gardner & Associates Consulting  All Rights Reserved

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