Donald Trump's latest venture in personally-branded products while occupying the White House likely has him "laughing all the way to the bank" one marketing expert is claiming just days after a high-profile announcement.
In a Guardian report on the Trump Organization announcing the availability of a gold phone to be serviced by Trump Mobile for an initial monthly fee of $47.45 a month, marketing expert Mark Borkowski remarked, "There was a lot of dialog when Trump returned to power that we would see in this term a particularly interesting residency in the White House about how much money would be made,” before adding, “and this is a typical Trump side-hustle playing off Maga patriotism.”
As the Guardian's Edward Helmore wrote, "celebrity" phones are nothing new and it should be no surprise the Trump family, which has slapped its name on everything from steaks to vodka to a failed university, should come as no surprise.
Helmore added, "The blurred lines between business and politics, impacting how candidates are portrayed, policies are shaped and voters engage with the political process – commonly referred to as the commercialization of politics – may not be Trump’s to own exclusively, but he’s taken it to a new level."
Borkowski agreed.
“It’s a new hyper-reality that exists in America,” he explained. “It’s about turning political fandom into money, and he’s laughing all the way to the bank. He’s doing exactly what was expected. Nobody in Trump’s heartland sees this as damaging – it’s what they expect a deal-maker to do. The absurdity of everything Trump does is the point.”
Branding expert Zak Revskyi contributed, "The Trumps’ continued business expansion often serves to reinforce Trump’s political persona rather than distract from it. For Maga supporters, his business ventures are interpreted as proof of his self-made success and outsider status – both key pillars of his political brand."
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