Donald Trump controversy: A public apology is Donald's Trump card
Donald Trump is slowly but surely becoming the Nigel Farage of America – that token politician who frequently puts his foot in it.
But whilst Farage managed to offend a large majority of the British public with his derogatory comments relating to immigrants and working mothers, Trump has insulted the whole of Mexico by branding its migrants criminals, rapists and drug barons.
Farage’s comments may have resulted in him becoming a laughing stock of the UK, but Trump’s sweeping generalisation has been far more damaging. The comments have landed him in murky waters with the majority of his business relationships just two weeks into his presidential campaign.
A number of the businesses that the Trump brand has worked hard to develop over the past few years have decided to terminate deals with the billionaire as a result of the offence he’s caused.
NBC Universal and Macy’s were among the companies to cut ties with Trump as a result of the comments and his broken down relationship with Latino broadcaster Univision has left a potential court case in the air after Trump filed a $500 million lawsuit against the broadcaster for damages.
There has been no such apology from Trump so far. Instead the former Apprentice star has added fuel to the fire by declaring how unapologetic he is and how much he still strongly stands by his comments.
To some extent, Nigel Farage was able to make such offensive comments without it having too much impact on his livelihood. However, in Trump’s case, it’s not just his presidential campaign he has to worry about derailing. His multi-billion empire is at stake as well.
He’s already lost a huge amount of money through burning bridges with key broadcasters and sponsors and has massively tarnished his brand.
Although the media storm may blow over, unfortunately reputation sticks and no business will want to work with someone who appears racist and could taint their own brands through association.
Through his persistence to stick by his word, it is clear Trump doesn’t want to back down to jeopardise the authoritative political image he is so desperately striving to convey. However to protect his business relationships, I would suggest he take a step back from the situation and think about the impact this could have on his business reputation.
From a media perspective, it is important to apologise when causing grave offence. This helps sustain relationships with any existing clients or partners and prevent further damage.
The key is to carefully select the most impactful media outlet to deliver messages through.
Offering a well-respected broadcaster an exclusive interview will allow the billionaire the opportunity to justify his point of view and apologise – whilst filming the interview live will prevent any edits that are crucial to the context. I would take the time to carefully fine-tune a statement with Mr Trump and help him work on his body language to convey his sincerity.
A remorseful statement on social media is also advisable. Seeking to repair the relationship with any fans and businesses who have been offended by the remarks might allow Trump to rekindle some of the lost support.
If he chooses to take this road, in time the Trump brand will be reinstated and any lasting damage will dissipate. However, in order for this to happen, the tide of public opinion will need to change to influence businesses so crucial to his empire and I truly believe a sincere response is the only way.
Phil Hall is chairman of reputation management agency PHA Media and a former editor-in-chief of the celebrity magazine Hello!