When Forbes estimated in March that the net worth of the president of the United States and an entrepreneur of everything from hotels to Trump-branded bibles, watches, trainers, and fragrances had more than doubled what it was a year earlier, it underscores the success of his business strategy, embraced long before his presidency, of striking deals to sell his name to hoteliers and golf course operators in exchange for fees, royalties and perhaps even more fame.
Last week, when the Trump Organization announced it is entering into the telecommunications business as well as plans to launch an all-American-made phone, I began to wonder if this strategy doesn’t offer an unconventional but revealing blueprint for tech founders navigating today’s volatile markets.
In the tech world, the idea of «brand» is often secondary to the product. But what if the brand is the product? Meaning, what if the essence of founders is at the fore of what they sell?
With this article, I will try to make a case for some of the things I believe startup founders can copy from the actions of a polarizing figure without making a judgment of character or statements of support.
Anchored Purpose
For obvious reasons, it is important to start this discussion on the strongest pillar of the strategy of our subject. Strongest pillar because presumably this is one of the reasons for his polarity, but also because this is conjecture.
Unlike traditional product-first tech companies, Trump’s ventures seem to often begin with anchors and purposes and not technical specs.
Part of the proof for this can be seen in the decision to unveil his plan for a new mobile carrier and phone on the tenth anniversary of his 2015 campaign launch. To his team, the launch wasn’t just about connectivity — it was about symbolism.
The phone is gold-colored, American-made, and comes with a service plan priced at exactly $47.45/month, which is again a deliberate nod to Trump’s status as both the 47th and 45th President.
For tech founders, this should signal something important: anchors, or perhaps more appropriately, purpose sells.
In saturated markets, features alone don’t differentiate, thus embedding a product with cultural or symbolic value can be the difference between winning and losing.
The Trump brand isn’t about phones or hotels — it’s a statement. And every customer who buys in is buying more than hardware; they’re buying affiliation. An affiliation that has sustained lucky but legendary brands such as Microsoft, Apple, Coke, Caterpillar, and Mercedes through generations of iteration.
Moreover, you also see this principle in action in his politics. Trump’s branding thrives on a central antagonist, and as an example, by invoking phrases like «the deep state,» as an anchor, his motives are positioned in a narrative that makes it easy to galvanize support.
On Language Use and the Creation of an Impression
Further, something else I noticed reading through the announcing press release is something I consider crucial for maintaining brand-customer affiliation.
In the document, his team was to describe the basic offering of the new venture when customers sign up, and it occurred to me that the word choice and structure conveyed this in a manner that greatly elevated the new offering.
“Trump Mobile will offer 5G service through all three major cellular carriers. At the heart of Trump Mobile is its flagship The 47 Plan, which is available for only $47.45 per month. Subscribers will receive the following added benefits:
What’s added? Impression.
Reflecting on this, I remembered that one ad among the plethora of Volvo adverts where actor Jean Claude Van Damme was enlisted to demonstrate the veracity of the newest steering technology for its trucks and cars.
At some point, it was one of the most viewed advertisements — perhaps it still is, and it demonstrated perfectly the impressions the company must have wanted to convey with the ad to sell a great technology.
Another example of the importance of creating an impression from Volvo is this demonstration from its CEO about his company’s product.
On Reflecting Customers’ Values
Finally, as previously stated, the Trump mobile phone will be produced in the US.
In the press release, the brand mentioned «hard-working Americans,” pitched the policy of «discounted» international calls to families with members serving outside the US in the military, and promised an all-American manufactured phone—All things that are widely acceptable and desired by fans and audiences.
“Trump Mobile is also excited to announce it will release the “T1 Phone” in August. It is a sleek, gold smartphone engineered for performance and proudly designed and built in the United States for customers who expect the best from their mobile carrier.
A great example of another great brand demonstrating this principle is Coke with its ‘Share a Coke’ campaign.
Coca-Cola launched its “Share a Coke”
campaign in Australia in 2011.
Originally launched in 2011 to encourage young adults to give and reverse the company’s declining sales figure among the same group, the campaign quickly evolved into a global phenomenon that deepened personal connections through the sharing of customized Coca-Cola bottles and cans.
To make the statement of its belief about its customers, Coca-Cola replaced its iconic logo with popular first names on bottles, encouraging consumers to find those bottles with friends and loved ones’ names to share with them.
The result?
- In Australia, the advertising agency Ogilvy reported that the campaign boosted Coca-Cola’s market share by 4% and drove a 7% increase in consumption among young adults.
- In the United States, the campaign is credited with increasing Coca-Cola sales by over 2%, effectively reversing more than a decade of declining consumption.
- In 2015, Coca-Cola expanded the campaign by increasing the number of available names to 1,000, also introducing popular nicknames like “bro,” “better half,” and “sidekick” to the lineup.
Summarized Lessons for Tech Founders
Trump Mobile isn’t unique in its functionality, but it is in its packaging. The phone promises US-based customer service, discounted international calls for military families, and a «next-generation» wireless experience — all relatively standard fare. But paired with the emotive narrative and potent branding, it rocketed to the top of search.
I believe that Tech founders can learn from this in an era where identity and values are core drivers of adoption.
Today, people don’t just use products — they wear them, signal through them, and align with them.
It’s the opposite of commodification. It’s emotional productization.
This is how a basic service becomes a loyalty mechanism.
Founders may revolt at such overt messaging and strategy, but there’s a lesson here nonetheless, and that is: clarity of values attracts loyalty.
In a fragmented attention economy, neutrality often fades into the background. Whether it’s privacy, decentralization, environmentalism, or national identity, staking a clear stance builds community.
In essence, the learning I want you to take away from this piece is this:
- Your brand can be the product. Especially in identity-driven markets, your message may matter more than your architecture.
- Symbolism scales. A $47.45 plan isn’t about pricing; it’s narrative. Look for ways to embed stories into products.
- Values ≠ optional. In today’s tribal age, even neutral tech gets pulled into ideology. Own your stance.
- Don’t just build, license, and partner. If you have brand equity, you may not need to own every layer of the stack.
- Emotion converts. Loyalty doesn’t always come from features. It mainly comes from resonance.
Perhaps a much better way to put all these is exactly the way that popular coach and author, Simon Sinek, explains it in his extremely popular talk on TEDx: Start with why.
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