Kamala Harris is Winning the PR Game While Trump is Trapped in Self-Destructive Tactics
Thus far, Vice President Kamala Harris is conducting her campaign as a Master Class in public relations.
Thus far, former president Donald Trump is also conducting his campaign as Master Class in public relations.
And there’s a big difference. Ms. Harris’ campaign is being conducted in a manner that is helping her. Mr. Trump’s campaign is being conducted in a manner that is self destructive.
Why Ms. Harris’ Campaign is helping her.
She has put Donald Trump on the defensive ever since the debate, where she made the egotistical, thin skinned former president defend himself against Ms. Harris’ accusations, using up time that that could have been better used by him presenting a forward looking agenda and pressing her on why she changed her positions on so many issues once she became the Democratic candidate.
She has frustrated Mr. Trump by largely ignoring his name calling attacks on her – including calling her a communist – and instead keeps on her talking points.
She is not giving into pressure by the national media to do more frequent interviews. She does interviews when it works to her best advantage.
She understands that interviews with local media helps her more that a national one.
She appears calm and collected on TV and always stays on script.
Why Mr. Trump’s Campaign is hurting him.
Ever since the debate with Ms. Harris, his comments that have no basis in fact – like Haitian immigrants easing people’s pets – have resulted in continuous major media coverage, when his remarks should have been on the political issues that separate the candidates.
Despite pleas from his advisors that he should limit his remarks to political matters, he continued to repeat the “eating pets” accusations, which overshadowed any serious remarks about the political issues that divided him and Ms. Harris.
He made a major blunder in denying what happened during his visit to Arlington National Cemetery, when he used the visit for political purposes against military rules, despite evidence to the contrary, thus turning a one or two day story into one that will last until the election.
When former vice president Dick Chaney and former Rep. Liz Chaney, two of the most conservative politicians in recent history,
endorsed Kamala Harris, Mr. Trump’s ego wouldn’t let the endorsement go unanswered. He called them RINO’s, Republicans In Name Only, thus extending what should have been a one day story into one that gave a chance for conservative Republicans that missed the Chaney’s original anointments to see it in follow up reporting.
Likewise, he attacked Taylor Swift, when she endorsed Ms. Harris, extending media coverage of her endorsement.
A major flaw in Mr. Trump’s strategy is to stick with it even when it’s not working, instead of changing tactics.
Ms. Harris’ strategies demonstrate some important points that apply to non-political accounts: 1) The importance of sticking to talking points; 2) PR people should do what’s best for clients, not what’s best for the media; and 3) And sometime not responding to negative media attacks is the best PR strategy, because voters care what the candidates say, not what the media says.
Mr. Trump’s strategy is to always be on the attack, a tactic that only his MAGA supporters like, but his attack, attack, attack strategy is not popular with the general public, and polls show that his popularity rating is declining. Mr. Trump’s tactic of responding to every endorsement of Ms. Harris is a minus-PR 101 blunder. All it does provide ammunition for follow-up stories, which include reasons why individual’s found him wanting.
Many of the tactics that Ms. Harris is employing should be remembered by PR practitioners, because they can be employed in non-political campaign.
Conversely, none of Mr. Trump’s tactics should be used in non-political PR campaigns (or even in political ones).
However, there is one take-a-way from the dueling political campaigns that is a reality: Even the best managed campaign doesn’t ensure a good outcome. And that’s true whether you’re promoting a political candidate or a bar of soap.
