Donald Trump Surge Thanks To Copywriting?

27 replies
Great article about Trump's surprising success.

The author explains how Trump's use of language (not just content, but the actual syntax and diction)sets him apart from the political mainstream.

He goes on to suggest that this is a big part of Trump's resonance with voters.

Many of the things the author mentions, are exactly what I'm learning to do as I study copy.

Things like:
-Short, punch-y sentences. Often no more than 15 syllables.
-Use of specifics over the abstract wherever possible.
-Conversational tone

Which all stands in stark contrast to the focus group tested, abstract, non-committal, meandering language that is such a fixture of mainstream and establishment candidates.

Anyway, thought this forum might appreciate it.
#copywriting #donald #surge #trump
  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    Trump didn't get where he is today not knowing how to talk to people.

    Has he employed a copywriter to advise him on campaign speeches and interviews? Possibly. But I think it's more likely that he's learned how to talk that way over the years.

    Trump's appeal is multi-faceted. The main thing he's done is tap into a vein of emotion present in many American people. He knows what they're thinking about immigration, international trade, and national defense.

    Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author autoincomeclub
      Originally Posted by Alex Cohen View Post

      Trump didn't get where he is today not knowing how to talk to people.

      Has he employed a copywriter to advise him on campaign speeches and interviews? Possibly. But I think it's more likely that he's learned how to talk that way over the years.

      Trump's appeal is multi-faceted. The main thing he's done is tap into a vein of emotion present in many American people. He knows what they're thinking about immigration, international trade, and national defense.

      Alex
      +1

      Trump is a master at persuading and communicating to people. Right now its second nature to him.
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  • Profile picture of the author TjarkHartmann
    If you enjoy listening to Donald Trump (political views aside) then you would love the book "Words That Work" by Frank Luntz.

    Great read for anyone interested in the power of individual words, with a bunch of references to political campaigns.
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  • Trump definitely knows about marketing. He is a salesman moreso than a developer these days. See below.

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    • Profile picture of the author Memetics
      Trump is really going to town with some pretty impressive persuasion strategies at the moment, whoever is orchestrating his methods is top notch.

      The most interesting thing about his oratory is his use of traditional rhetoric as the vehicle to deliver his emotional triggers - which can be clunky at the best of times - but in his case it's parsed down to a very powerful "essence" (for want of a better word).

      My guess is he's assembled a "dreamteam" of persuasion engineers to pack his punch for him and it's no guess at all to say it must have cost him a fortune to do so.
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  • Mebbe.

    I'm just prayin' for the guy's stylist.
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  • Profile picture of the author dmaster555
    You don't reach Donald Trump's networth without being an expert at selling yourself and communicating with others. That is a fact.
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  • Profile picture of the author brettb
    Surprising Success?

    The guy is a legend in his own lifetime. There should be no surprise at his success.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      Yes, interesting times we're living in isn't it ...
      • Where the Kardashians rule the entertainment industry.
      • Where two kids from the Seattle suburbs can win Best Hip Hop Artist of the Year.
      and

      Donald Trump can Win crowds by continually saying ...
      • "I'll be great",
      • "I'll be the best"
      and
      • "It'll be fantastic you'll see".
      (Sigh)

      O.P, I agree with your points except one. Your "use of specifics over abstract" example. That's what has many experts baffled. His 'lack' of specifics. And the more abstract and generalized promises he makes ('I'll be great', "I'm good at the military", "I'll make them pay", etc.) the more his numbers shoot up. I doubt if the average marketer could get away with that and you wouldn't get away with it if you were trying to sell Mr. Trump something either. Trust me.

      The one advantage he's exploiting, most of his competition is as dull as dirty dishwater. He doesn't need to bring his A-game. Just make a lot of exciting promises like those old school late night infomercials used to do.
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      • Profile picture of the author splitTest
        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        The one advantage he's exploiting, most of his competition is as dull as dirty dishwater. He doesn't need to bring his A-game. Just make a lot of exciting promises like those old school late night infomercials used to do.
        True...

        Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

        Yes, interesting times we're living in isn't it ...
        • Where the Kardashians rule the entertainment industry.
        • Where two kids from the Seattle suburbs can win Best Hip Hop Artist of the Year.
        and

        Donald Trump can Win crowds by continually saying ...
        • "I'll be great",
        • "I'll be the best"
        and
        • "It'll be fantastic you'll see".
        And don't forget the world where ...
        • China gets more assertive in the South China sea...
        • North korea tests "space range" missiles...
        • America and Russia face off (by proxy) in Ukraine & Syria/Iraq...
        • Europe, having just "solved" an economic crisis that had people questioning the future of the union, now has to agree on what to do with hundreds of thousands of refugees...
        • ISIS... ('nuff said... )
        • the mess in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, etc. etc etc....

        Who would really want the job? I sure wouldn't! ...
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  • One thing I hadn't noticed before this campaign run is that Trump and Jordan Belfort sound almost identical in style. Watch Belfort's SLP seminars and you'll find some very non-specific rebuttals..."We've got the greatest company, Our team is top notch, I plan to be the best salesman at this company, you won't be disappointed " etc.

    Trump is of course doing the same on the trail. Possibly folks just don't really want the responsibility of coming to their own conclusions. They just want someone of authority to tell them it's going to be great. There's some psy in this no doubt, but it all comes down to the idea that we buy a person, not what they're selling.

    P.S. You can trust me, I'm right on this. I guarantee it! : )
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  • Profile picture of the author splitTest
    Am I the only one who's not convinced that he's really running -- that he genuinely wants the job?

    I was sure that this whole thing was a stunt to boost his brand early on... Still not sure he's serious about it. I think if the going gets tough, he's going to deliberately sabotage his campaign (in a way that helps his brand, of course) & duck out of the race... If it gets rocky in the least, I bet he'll quit while he's ahead...
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    • Profile picture of the author obaynes
      Originally Posted by splitTest View Post

      Am I the only one who's not convinced that he's really running -- that he genuinely wants the job?
      You're not alone in this. Someone on the Nightly Show on Comedy Central made a joke to this effect the other night, that he was just doing his usual PR stunt and was shocked when he actually started polling ahead of everyone else. It would explain why he never has policy specifics as he never thought he would actually make it to the point where he had to get into them.

      His rhetoric only works on the absolute bottom of the low-information-voter barrel. "I will build da biggest, most luxurious military and health care" won't work in a general election. Even Bernie Sanders would roll right over him.

      Right now his base is basically scared older people who probably relate to the fact that he rambles and doesn't complete most of his thoughts, like that guy that stood up and asked about the Muslim terrorist training camps at his presser, and frankly flat-out racists. They can only carry him so far, and I'm not sure how much credit you can really give to copywriting technique here.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lance K
    Success leaves footprints. Remember the Hope & Change rhetoric?
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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Interesting article on an analysis of Donald Trump's speeches --4th grade level.

    Linguistics Expert CONFIRMS: Donald Trump Talks Like A 4th Grade Boy | Greenville Gazette

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author Memetics
      Trump's speech patterns and choice of words, emphasis, cadence etc are far from a 4th grader's verbal communication. The guy's not stupid.

      What he's doing is speaking direct to the voters unconscious mind with a very simple verbal flow to avoid any critical factor analysis of the message within.

      The unconscious is where the emotions are held, emotions are the bodyguard of beliefs, beliefs control the decision making process. He knows exactly what he's doing.

      In a way, it's a very pared down version of conversational hypnosis designed as such to influence as wide a voting demographic as possible.



      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covert_hypnosis
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      • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
        Originally Posted by Memetics View Post

        The guy's not stupid.
        What he's doing is speaking direct to the voters unconscious mind with a very simple verbal flow to avoid any critical factor analysis of the message within.
        I agree, he's not stupid and what he's doing is targeting people who are (clearing throat) less prone to critical analysis, as you said. They're perfectly happy and content to accept his ...
        • "It'll be great, fantastic, super (because I said so).
        • "When I'm elected I'll reveal specifics".
        • "I'll be the best commander in chief because I went to a military prep school as a boy".
        And my personal favorite.

        "I run the best hotels and golf courses in the world, I'm a billionaire so I'll be one of the best Presidents ever ...you'll see".

        That's not copywriting targeted to people who think, analyze or evaluate for the most part. He's a master at selling "cotton candy dreams" to people with a sweet tooth, i.e 4th grade mentality as the article above revealed. But you're right ... he's not a 4th grader himself - far from it. In fact, he's proven to be the Dean, Professor and Chancellor of this strategy ... so far.
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        • Profile picture of the author Memetics
          Originally Posted by The Niche Man View Post

          I agree, he's not stupid and what he's doing is targeting people who are (clearing throat) less prone to critical analysis, as you said. They're perfectly happy and content to accept his ...
          • "It'll be great, fantastic, super (because I said so).
          • "When I'm elected I'll reveal specifics".
          • "I'll be the best commander in chief because I went to a military prep school as a boy".
          And my personal favorite.

          "I run the best hotels and golf courses in the world, I'm a billionaire so I'll be one of the best Presidents ever ...you'll see".

          That's not copywriting targeted to people who think, analyze or evaluate for the most part. He's a master at selling "cotton candy dreams" to people with a sweet tooth, i.e 4th grade mentality as the article above revealed. But you're right ... he's not a 4th grader himself - far from it. In fact, he's proven to be the Dean, Professor and Chancellor of this strategy ... so far.

          Trump's soundbites are straight out of persuasion 101 and classic language patterns designed to influence covertly. Because they're so simplistic there's a lot of conceptual fluency to them (copywriters call this flow) so the information is bypassing critical analysis as the conscious mind sees them as "not worthy" of applying any cognitive effort to.

          The problem is though, that simple concepts are what the unconscious deals with as their emotional salience has to be processed quickly to guide decision making heuristics on the fly.

          Here's a breakdown of the examples you gave.

          "It'll be great, fantastic, super (because I said so). Future pacing using superlatives.

          "When I'm elected I'll reveal specifics". Presupposition that he will be elected.

          "I'll be the best commander in chief because I went to a military prep school as a boy". Complex equivalence pattern using the word "because" as critical factor attenuation.

          "I run the best hotels and golf courses in the world, I'm a billionaire so I'll be one of the best Presidents ever ...you'll see".

          My favourite too. Compound suggestion plus presupposition plus complex equivalence.

          Does he run the best hotels and golf courses in the world?
          Yes he's a billionaire (truism/reality pace) but does that mean he'll be a great president?

          If I was a member of the Democrat's campaign team now I would be planning some serious ideational inoculation ready for Trump's next speech. Language patterns are great tools for salesman but as any great salesman will tell you; when they go wrong they go horribly wrong.


          https://frictionfreesales.com/persua...esuppositions/

          Complex equivalence in the Meta Model

          Compound Suggestions (lead, then pace) « Ericksonian

          How Cognitive Fluency Affects Decision Making :: UXmatters

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proces...hetic_pleasure
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          • Profile picture of the author splitTest
            Originally Posted by Memetics View Post

            Trump's soundbites are straight out of persuasion 101 and classic language patterns designed to influence covertly. Because they're so simplistic there's a lot of conceptual fluency to them (copywriters call this flow) so the information is bypassing critical analysis as the conscious mind sees them as "not worthy" of applying any cognitive effort to.

            The problem is though, that simple concepts are what the unconscious deals with as their emotional salience has to be processed quickly to guide decision making heuristics on the fly.

            Here's a breakdown of the examples you gave.

            "It'll be great, fantastic, super (because I said so). Future pacing using superlatives.

            "When I'm elected I'll reveal specifics". Presupposition that he will be elected.

            "I'll be the best commander in chief because I went to a military prep school as a boy". Complex equivalence pattern using the word "because" as critical factor attenuation.

            "I run the best hotels and golf courses in the world, I'm a billionaire so I'll be one of the best Presidents ever ...you'll see".

            My favourite too. Compound suggestion plus presupposition plus complex equivalence.

            Does he run the best hotels and golf courses in the world?
            Yes he's a billionaire (truism/reality pace) but does that mean he'll be a great president?

            If I was a member of the Democrat's campaign team now I would be planning some serious ideational inoculation ready for Trump's next speech. Language patterns are great tools for salesman but as any great salesman will tell you; when they go wrong they go horribly wrong.


            https://frictionfreesales.com/persua...esuppositions/

            Complex equivalence in the Meta Model

            Compound Suggestions (lead, then pace) « Ericksonian

            How Cognitive Fluency Affects Decision Making :: UXmatters

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proces...hetic_pleasure
            Who knew the guys I grew up with in brooklyn were so sophisticated!... Trump sounds just like them, complete with the unfettered braggadocio.

            Trump's surge isn't because he's a master communicator. Herman Cain surged when he talked about his fence too.

            I'll give Trump this much -- he's a true rags-to-riches success story. Came up from nothing & pulled himself up by the bootstraps, with nary a failure in the process. Why can't all presidents be like that?

            Trump certainly has something -- but master communicator? Naaah.
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            • Profile picture of the author The Pines
              Originally Posted by splitTest View Post

              I'll give Trump this much -- he's a true rags-to-riches success story. Came up from nothing & pulled himself up by the bootstraps, with nary a failure in the process. Why can't all presidents be like that?

              Sarcasm kicks butt. Almost as much as never questioning the 'official' story.


              Trump was born in New York City in 1946, the son of real estate tycoon Fred Trump. Fred Trump's business success not only provided Donald Trump with a posh youth of private schools and economic security but eventually blessed him with an inheritance worth an estimated $40 million to $200 million...


              Exposing How Donald Trump Really Made His Fortune: Inheritance from Dad and the Government's Protection Mostly Did the Trick | Alternet
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            • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
              Originally Posted by splitTest View Post

              Who knew the guys I grew up with in brooklyn were so sophisticated!... Trump sounds just like them, complete with the unfettered braggadocio.
              The guys I saw in my neighborhood growing up talked in similar ways, except they drove long Cadillac's, wore big hats, fur coats, and alligator shoes. And was always surrounded by women in skimpy clothes.
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  • A lilypad of fluff afloat on swamp.

    But hey, c'est persuasion.
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    Lightin' fuses is for blowin' stuff togethah.

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    • Profile picture of the author socialentry
      Originally Posted by Princess Balestra View Post

      A lilypad of fluff afloat on swamp.

      But hey, c'est persuasion.
      *c'est la persuasion
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      • Profile picture of the author angiecolee
        Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

        *c'est la persuasion
        ...

        Really?
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Vote Christie in 2016.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Rosa
    It's so crazy how all of this comes into play. Gotta love the art of politics and media manipulation.
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  • Profile picture of the author RickDuris
    I found this interesting:

    Donald Trump’s amazing ‘cease and desist’ letter, annotated - The Washington Post



    PS: I didn't know you could annotate like that in a browser. Opens up new ways to critique copy, doesn't it?
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