At DMA, we’re a pretty heterogeneous group, with a wide variety of interests, views, and opinions.  In spite of a myriad of beliefs throughout the office, we have always been able to keep our debates friendly and our minds open (take a hint, Congress!).  We’ve even highlighted politics and fresh produce in the past right here on The Core.  And this year is no different, as the 2016 presidential election process and its participants have already contributed many takeaways that deliver valuable lessons to fresh produce marketers. 

No matter what your personal beliefs and feelings are toward to GOP front runner, I believe that Mr. Trump via @RealDonaldTrump exhibits a great deal of marketing prowess that we can all learn from.  Here’s a list of several marketing lessons that may or may not have been included in Trump University’s curriculum (ha!).

• Brand Voice Consistency – Politicians of all stripes are infamous for flip flopping; the practice of which may even be some secret rite of passage required for a candidate to actually take office. While Mr. Trump certainly doesn’t don this crown alone, his occasional lack in consistency of message is more than made up for in his consistent brand voice.  “Trumpisms” are instantly and easily recognizable, thanks in large part to Trump’s commitment to this practice.
• Brand Humanization – Often, it seems that there are several layers between the actual celebrity/politician and the social platform that “they” are communicating through. I believe that big chunk of Donald Trump’s appeal comes from the authenticity of his consistent voice mentioned above.  When Trump tweets, there’s little doubt that he himself is truly behind those 140 characters. 
• Marketing Rule No. 1 – This rule, “Know your audience” is number one for a reason, and Mr. Trump provides an excellent example of communicating with his target audience(s) in mind. Whether talking about “the wall”, veterans’ affairs, or “horrible trade deals”, The Donald doesn’t lose sight of who he’s trying to reach – he knows exactly what to say to strike a chord with the right people.
• Own Your Story – Rather than the traditional politician’s “deflect, deflect, deflect” strategy of answering difficult questions or explaining past mistakes (we all make ‘em!), Mr. Trump’s head on handling of less-than-flattering stories from his past (say, bankruptcies) has proven quite effective. While I may not always agree with nor like his answer, I do believe that brands can benefit from a similar strategy to build both transparency and trustworthiness. 

Shameless Plug Alert (also inspired by Trump himself):  From time to time, I hear political talking heads condemn Trump’s campaign for being light on substance and concrete policy proposals – content, if you will.  So, I’d like to offer some help to all marketers – Trump included – in creating quality, helpful content for their target audiences.  Content Trumps All, is a free download that will help you generate copy for websites, blogs, emails, ads and more.  Simply click here to download your copy today!  You’re welcome, Mr. Trump, and keep those marketing lessons coming!