I’m reading Sonia Purnell’s Kingmaker, about 20th century courtesan, Churchill’s daughter in law, and political influencer – Pamela Harriman. In one chapter, at a welcome event for the then Russian president, she is approached by a confident young man praising her, and boldly fishing for an invitation to one of her famed dinner events. It was a young Donald Trump.
Say what you will about his cocky demeanor and politics, but Trump’s knack for communication is pure wizardry. Dark magic, if you will.
From NYC property tycoon, to global TV star, to president, he’s kept the world engaged and outraged – but always watching. How exactly has he achieved this?
The Soundbite King: Short, Sharp, Sticky
Trump’s a master of the punchy one-liner. “You’re fired” from The Apprentice. “Build the wall” in 2016. “Fake news” on repeat. These aren’t policies – they’re slogans, drilled into brains with brutal simplicity. His brevity is next-level. He doesn’t do detail – possibly because there is none. He knows people remember short, snappy phrases. He talks straight to the croc brain and, to be fair, it’s PR gold. Unfiltered, often unpolished, and sometimes unforgettable. This past week, I’ve heard several commentators and news readers use his phrase of ‘card holding’, about the Russian/Ukraine conflict. It replaces nuance and complexity with a simple visual image. A good thing? Maybe not in this case. But it paints a clear picture.
Owning the Narrative: Chaos as Control
Most brands and organisations dread a PR crisis. Trump? He thrives on it. He doesn’t hide; he shouts louder. He creates a sort of chaos that isn’t wholly random; it’s calculated. He’s torn up the script and is rewriting the rules. It’s certainly one way to stay top of peoples’ minds and in their social feeds. (That, and getting shot at, of course.)
The Loyalty Play: Talking to ‘His People’
Trump’s comms aren’t for everyone – they’re for his tribe. The so-called “forgotten men and women,” he says, and they hear it loud and clear. He skips the political jargon and hits emotional notes like anger, pride and defiance. It really is incredible that working and middle-class US citizens consider him to be ‘just like them’ when he is surrounded by wealthy, privileged, tech bros and Ivy Leaguers. But there you have it. Genius…
The Takeaway: Speak Simple, Win Big
What’s Trump’s 2025 lesson? Who knows. But when it comes to PR – he wins. His self belief is undeniable – if not a little terrifying! But it’s his ability to condense complexity into simple phrases, is his real superpower.
#branding #PR #comms #communication #persuasion
Marie White 