Donald Trump’s branding model

Donald Trump’s use of social media continuously keeps him in the public eye, says NPGA’s Peter Ferrell.

The Donald Trump branding model is fundamentally changing politics.

So says Peter Ferrell, director of political and industry affairs at the National Propane Gas Association. As an example, Ferrell points to Trump’s effective use of social media, particularly Twitter.

“Trump sends out a tweet that costs nothing, and someone spends $30,000 on an ad buy to counter him,” says Ferrell, during an April interview. “The new way is the Trump messaging model.”
The most effective modern politicians react instantaneously, Ferrell adds. Trump recognizes that, and he has connected with voters that way.

“Branding, messaging and the ability to connect with people electronically is how politics are done these days,” Ferrell says. “It’s electronic. It’s fast. It’s short and sweet. Politicking is electronic. It’s sound bites. It’s click based. That goes from raising money to getting your message out there to being connected.”

Face time still offers value, Ferrell says, but the world now operates on an on-demand level. The Donald Trump branding model is a reminder of this, he adds, and others can incorporate elements of the model within their own organizations.

“Our politics has to be on demand,” he says. “Our lobbying has to be on demand. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just how things are.”