Andrew Touhy, Account Executive
The GOP frontrunner, Donald Trump, just released his first television ad of the 2016 presidential campaign. Regardless of your political or personal opinion of Trump, his ad is entirely consistent with the brand he has cultivated and protected over many years.
“I am very proud of this ad,” Trump said in a statement. “I don’t know if I need it, but I don’t want to take any chances because if I win we are going to Make America Great Again.”
The commercial, its release, and media coverage are vintage Trump. According to iQ, a media monitoring service, for every dollar Trump spent to air the ad, he received an extra $1.32 in media coverage.
This phenomenon has driven other candidates insane, and in many cases, led to the suspension of their campaign for lack of interest.
Trump has dominated the race largely because he is keenly aware how to navigate the public and media landscapes. He is a brand, a television icon, a quintessential product of the international media machine.
Where some see bombast in his rhetoric, his campaign sees a won news cycle. More than any other candidate, he knows what to say to feed the media beast.
Trump understands that he is not simply a candidate in bid to be the President of the United States.
Media scrutiny does not dilute his brand, but rather builds it up. The Wall Street Journal recently noted that Trump has a blue-collar coalition that many political experts didn’t see coming.
Now, whether or not the buzz surrounding his television ads, and his blunt campaign style on the whole actually translates into votes will remain to be seen.
Though the Trump show may one day become tired, if it hasn’t already, it is hard to argue that it isn’t a genuine reflection of the candidate.