Ivanka Trump Uses Dad’s Presidential Win to Promote Her Brand
Image by Getty
By Thea Glassman November 15, 2016
Shortly after Ivanka Trump appeared on “60 Minutes” alongside her father to discuss his presidential win, select style reporters received an email from her brand’s team suggesting that they write about the $10,800 bangle she wore.
The New York Times Sunday Styles reporter Katie Rosman took to Twitter to post an email she received from Monica Marder, the vice president of Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, which promoted the gold-and-diamond piece of jewelry, detailed the collection it came from and suggested the reporter share with her readers.
Email sent to journalists by an @IvankaTrump employee, hawking the goods she wore on @60Minutes. pic.twitter.com/aCpNbBBArg
— katie rosman (@katierosman) November 15, 2016
Some Twitter users swiftly commented on a possible conflict of interest involved when Trump, a member of her father’s transitional team, mixed politics with brand promotion.
Ivanka Trump’s jewelry company is using her 60 Min appearance to market a $10k bracelet. Let the corruption & conflict of interests begin! https://t.co/NzydJUXHfZ
— HawaiiDelilah (@HawaiiDelilah) November 15, 2016
Ivanka Trump is using a “60 Minutes” appearance to hawk her jewelry. Yes, the Beverly Hillbillies are coming to DC. https://t.co/Ynqn0eWkcK pic.twitter.com/IHwksGIQwH
— John Aravosis (@aravosis) November 15, 2016
When the Forward asked for a comment from Trump’s team, we received the following response from Abigail Klem, president of the Ivanka Trump brand:
“This notification was sent by a well-intentioned marketing employee at one of our companies who was following customary protocol, and who, like many of us, is still making adjustments post-election. We are proactively discussing new policies and procedures with all of our partners going forward.”
This isn’t the first time Trump’s lifestyle brand and the election have collided. In July, the brand’s Twitter account touted the pale pink dress Trump wore during the Republican National Convention.
Shop Ivanka’s look from her #RNC speech: https://t.co/ma42A92DYa #RNCinCLE pic.twitter.com/DwHvSOu8Ue
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 22, 2016
Public outcry against Trump’s brand continues to mount. Shannon Coulter, CEO of DoubleKnown Marketing & Communications, started a Trump brand boycott called #GrabYourWallet (a play on the presidential-elect’s comments about grabbing women’s genitals), which publishes a public spreadsheet with the list of companies that carry Trump products, along with contact information to lodge complaints.
According to a November article in Fast Company, data from the ShopRunner suggested that “interest” in the brand dropped by 54% in the weeks following the start of the #GrabYourWallet campaign. Shoes.com also announced they would no longer be carrying items from the Ivanka Trump shoe collection.
“If Ivanka Trump had distanced herself from the campaign I would not be boycotting her. But something changed for me when that [Access Hollywood] tape was released,” Coulter said in an interview the Guardian.
For her part, Trump remained steadfast that the election has not hurt her brand. She also said in the scheme of things, she doesn’t really care.
“I don’t think it matters,” she said during her family’s “60 Minutes” interview. “This [presidential campaign] is so much more important. And more serious. And you know, that’s the focus.”
Thea Glassman is an Associate Editor at the Forward. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at @theakglassman.
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