How Trump Has Destroyed Trust in Brand America
It is difficult to fully comprehend the chaos that Trump has created in the past two weeks, especially the long-term implications for the U.S. and the world economy. What is at stake is trust in the U.S. brand as the most respected, safe repository for international trade and investments, plus the world’s most reliable steward of peace and prosperity. Views from “The Economist” This respected business conservative magazine described their reaction in a recent issue to Trump’s new trade policies, under the headline “Donald Trump‘s Mindless Tariffs Will Cause Havoc”. Some excerpts: • “It’s...
Read MoreThe Democrat’s Challenge: Restoring Brand Trust With Fresh Ideas
Trump’s recent speech to Congress revealed two stark realities. First, despite many falsehoods, the enthusiastic support from Republicans was overwhelming. Second, the Democrats looked weak and lost, with no clear, convincing response, no new ideas and no leadership. The Republicans did their homework and positioned their election promises wisely. But the Democrats can learn from this too. The key to successful branding is to fully diagnose and understand your target customer (or voter). Economic statistics are not nearly as relevant as voter perceptions, especially how they feel and...
Read MoreRepercussions And Risks From The New Rebranded Presidency
There has never been a more turbulent start to a Presidential term. Trump has created chaos throughout the government with his demands to completely dismantle agencies (e.g. U.S.A.I.D.), fire thousands of experienced professionals and cut funding that Congress had already approved, all to “make America great again”. But the most alarming part of Trump’s revenge is that most of his actions are illegal and unconstitutional. Trump is at least consistent in his unpredictable behavior, but now he has redefined the actual Presidential brand. To understand the ramifications for our democracy...
Read MoreBad News For Truth And Personal Branding
Building a strong brand requires diligent research, relevant and positive positioning and consistent credibility. Today that task is harder than ever. Our society is overwhelmed with negativity and distrust. Vicious personal attacks in every sector (e.g. government, entertainment, media, etc.) are rampart, exacerbating polarization. One of the most common accusatory words we hear these days by politicians is “weaponization”. The biggest contributor to this growing divisiveness is the pervasive use of misinformation, especially on social media. Recently two events affirm the expectation...
Read MoreWhy Americans No Longer Trust Our Institutions
Confidence in American institutions is at historical lows. During the past 25 years, trust in core political, social, and economic institutions has plummeted, coinciding with the rapid growth of the omnipresent internet in our lives. There is a ubiquitous presence of negativity, cynicism and polarization in our society today that fuels this lack of confidence which could have severe consequences in the future. This pessimism is dangerous. However, repositioning the various institutional brands could help create a more positive connection with voters. When Gallup started measuring the...
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