Problems for Trump hotels?
Posted by Staff (10/13/2016 @ 10:38 am)
This story about reduced prices for rooms at the new Trump hotel in Washington, D.C. seem to confirm suspicions from Mark Cuban and other that the Trump brand is becoming toxic.
Last weekend bankers and dignitaries from around the world descended on Washington for the annual World Bank–IMF meetings. But just a few days before, the conference rooms were not only still available at Trump International, they were heavily discounted. On October 2, a deluxe room, with a rack rate of $805, could be had for as low $445 a night on Hotels.com. All other five-star D.C. downtown hotels were sold out. By Wednesday, October 5, weekend stays in the deluxe rooms were marked down to $404 per night on Trump International’s own website. The more luxurious 500-square-foot executive rooms, with a city view and marble bath, were only $484. By comparison, at the Waldorf-Astoria in Georgetown, the only available rooms were $1,139 per night, according to Hotels.com.
Mark Cuban predicted this, and it will be interesting to see if this trend continues after the election.
Is Donald Trump destroying his brand?
Posted by Staff (10/02/2016 @ 6:20 pm)

Would you stay at a Donald Trump property? Would you buy a condo with the Trump name on it? If you’re reading a blog like this, you’re probably one of the millions of people repulsed by Donald Trump’s disgraceful campaign for the presidency. You have to think that this will have an effect on his business model which revolves around the power of the Trump name.
We asked this same question five years ago during the Donald’s birther mania, but even that racist attack didn’t hurt his brand. But now with his presidential campaign and repeated racist and offensive statements, it’s hard to imagine he’ll avoid a permanent smear on his reputation.
Mark Cuban has emerged as one of Trump’s most effective critics, as many Americans respect Cuban’s business acumen, so his attacks on Trump tend to stick. Cuban has predicted that Trump will go personally bankrupt withing seven years of the election if he loses as a result of doing so much damage to his brand.
I have no idea if Trump and his children will ever go bankrupt, but I do know that I would never again stay at a Trump property. I’ve spoken to many professionals and business executives who feels the same way. Trump’s legions of supporters don’t fit the demographic of his business clientele, so Cuban may be right and this could be a real problem for Trump. One can only hope . . .
Has Donald Trump destroyed his brand?
Posted by Staff (05/16/2011 @ 4:41 pm)
Miss Universe Organization President Paula Shugart and co-owner of the Miss Universe Pageant Donald Trump (R) meet with the Miss Universe 2010 contestants at the Events Center in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on August 22, 2010. The Miss Universe 2010 competition will air live on the NBC Television Network at 9 PM ET. UPI/Patrick Prather/HO
Donald Trump has put his brand on all sorts of products as he leverages his success over the years in real estate along with the his status as a reality TV celebrity. Yet he turned many people off with his bizarre and mean-spirited attacks on President Obama. He questioned Obama’s birth certificate, and then moved on to questioning Obama’s qualifications to get into Harvard Law School.
Basically, he came across as a jerk. Then, Obama smacked him down by releasing his birth certificate, mocking Trump in front of the Washington press corps and then interrupting “Celebrity Apprentice” with the news that Navy SEALS had killed Osama bin Laden.
Meanwhile, the press has started to dig into Trump’s business dealings, shining a light on some of Trump’s less impressive ventures. Trump is getting sued by some who purchased condos thinking they were Trump projects, only to find later when the project folded that Trump was just licensing his name.
These stories are now all over the media. So it begs the question – did Trump screw up with his high-profile, mean-spirited attacks on the President? Is this going to hurt his brand? I always thought he was a clown, but he didn’t bother me. Now, I have no interest in supporting anything he’s associated with. Others I’ve spoken to feel the same way.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out . . .