A new test of celebrity brands has revealed that Barack and Michelle Obama are tops in the nation, but it is President Trump whom the country “can’t live without.”
Trump ranks fourth overall in the inaugural Brand-intimate Famous Figures Study, behind the Obamas and actor Tom Hanks.
But he is first in two of the six key areas judged by the study from marketing and branding firm MBLM: He exceeds expectations and is an important part of people’s routine or daily life.
Trump also has the deepest connection with people than any of the 10 tested, including Oprah Winfrey, Pope Francis, and Paul McCartney, said the survey provided to Secrets. First lady Melania Trump was not included in the survey.
Of all of the politicians on the list, Trump has the longest history of branding, likely a key on why he is so connected with Americans, for good and bad.
“What does it mean to make it on this Top 10? It means that Americans over the age of 18 felt the strongest emotional connection to these people, describing their relationships in terms of forming attachments and identifying with them. This is not a list of people that are admired, it is people we feel involved with and bonded to. These celebrities, by design or by default, have created brands with powerful emotional connections,” said Mario Natarelli, managing partner of MBLM.
“Personal brands are going to continue to play a tremendous role in impacting our politics, beliefs and behaviors,” he added.
Former President Barack Obama won the top “quotient score” of 77.5, followed by his wife at 74.4, Hanks at 67.2, and Trump at 60.7 The score, said the study, “is based on prevalence (the percentage of people who are intimate), popularity (the percentage of people who pick a celebrity) and intensity (where the relationship is on the spectrum of the brand Intimacy stages).”
Michelle Obama’s second-place ranking was also important, showing not only the popularity of the former first couple, but also the power of the former first lady.
The firm said, “The results demonstrate the strong emotional connections both Barack and Michelle Obama — who ranked first and second — have with younger Americans and women. The strong showing by Michelle Obama is particularly noteworthy, as she was the highest-ranking woman and also popular among diverse ages and with both women and men.”
