Explaining Trump, Duterte and Marcos

Donald Trump’s re-election against the backdrop of a record marred by criminal allegations and accusations of immorality can speak volumes for the powerful strategies and the messaging capacity to resonate with certain segments of the electorate.

- RON JABAL

Reflecting elements of the Philippine political landscape, Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. both emerged victorious in previous elections despite controversial backgrounds and strong opposition. By examining the messaging, public relations tactics and socio-political contexts in each case, the power of great PR shines through in influencing voter perception and behavior.

The power of a strong persona and identity politics

Trump’s re-election, like the political successes of Duterte and Marcos in the Philippines, was dependent on a strong, unconventional persona that gained the support of a particular audience. The PR campaign that supported Trump, Duterte and Marcos all focused on themes of “toughness”

and the ability to incite radical change. Even though each politician has tainted reputations, the person in question tended to get a certain “champion of the people” image across, one who would “stand up” to the elites, the status quo and the mainstream media.

In Trump’s case, his PR strategy set the story that he was victimized and unfairly targeted by political foes. The campaign “swept under the rug” claims of criminal conduct and portrayed it as an effort to silence a populist leader.

Duterte, in the same vein, postured himself as an “outsider” who could take some fight against the “clash” system, more so with his populist anti-drug war advocacies. Similarly, Marcos Jr. deployed PR tactics to restore the reputation of the Marcos family by repositioning them as victims of politics and HIMSELF as a victor in a struggle for a reputation of “strong” leadership. In each of these three examples, each leader successfully positioned himself as an underdog fighting for the “little guy,” which increased his appeal and eclipsed his negatives.

Control of narrative