Yet within less than two years he was gone from office during the Watergate scandal. Nixon has been re-elected in 1972 in the fourth largest landslide in American history. Now contrast this with Richard Nixon who was forced to resign to avoid impeachment and removal. As long as nothing comes out that seems to go against the brand identity that Trump has nurtured over the years, his base will remain loyal. It is why his base stays loyal to him despite what has come out during the hearings. And that is precisely what his presidency has been. He was seen as someone who would act like he acted on the Apprentice and countless television appearances in shaking things up and doing it his way. He was not seen as a saint or as presidential in the way we have traditionally viewed presidents like Eisenhower, Kennedy, or Reagan.
He was loud, obnoxious, driven, egotistical, successful and much more in people’s minds. His personal brand was developed in people’s minds whether you liked him or disliked him. They knew him from his many television appearances, The Apprentice franchise, his divorces, “The Art of the Deal”, and much more. Trump long before he ran for president in 2016. Trump that has been built over the decades. Nothing that has come out during the hearings seem inconsistent with the brand of Donald J. Why is this? Why after what many have considered to be damaging testimony, has Trump’s poll numbers stayed consistent? His support has stayed consistent and support for impeachment has fluctuated but remained consistent with President Trump’s approval numbers. Since the hearings began, Democrats and many members of the media have been expecting his support to collapse as happened with Richard Nixon during Watergate (these are the same people who expected his support would collapse in 2016). The same also applies in the political arena and we are seeing this play out with the impeachment hearings against Donald Trump. Consumers are looking for a brand that shares their beliefs and has an authentic brand story. In today’s polarized world we all know that consumers are no longer looking at just the best price when it comes to selecting a brand.