Building Brand Melania: How the Former First Lady’s Book Sets the Stage for Her Businesswoman Revamp
Much has been made of the political strategies lurking inside Melania Trump’s memoir – but it serves another ambitious purpose, writes Sheila Flynn: Letting the former first lady outline her business acumen and ‘methodical’ nature, all the way to setting the stage for her own heavily-branded entrepreneurship efforts.
Melania Trump released her memoir titled Melania on October 8, just weeks before the upcoming presidential election. The timing has sparked debates about whether the book is merely anecdotal or if it plays strategic roles within the political narrative surrounding the Trump family.
From the outset, the memoir's very promotion followed suit to what many have characterized as the polished branding of Melania, beginning with visually eye-catching media appearances. The first image shared on her social media was compelling, featuring her cobalt-blue eyes large and unabashedly staring out at the audience. This marked what many believe to be the early introduction of her personal brand, which is poised to encompass more than just being the wife of the former president.
The threads of discussed themes are threaded throughout the book, whether she’s detailing her views on political matters, such as controversial legislations around reproductive rights, or commenting on her experiences with media representation, which she finds frequently unjust. For example, her position on reproductive rights starkly contrasts with the stridently anti-abortion stance held by many aligned with her husband’s political ideology. She states decisively, "Why should anyone other than the woman herself have the power to determine what she does with her own body?" This perspective may alienate some supporters but is likely intended to attract moderate voters on the fence.
Her memoir is largely interpreted as ambiguous, hinting at the dual objective: marketing herself as independent and capable of substantial business ventures away from the shadow of her husband. She alphabetically dismisses the rumors and assumptions tied to her identity as 'just another first lady,' instead establishing her narrative as one of independence and determination shaped by her upbringing.
“Financial independence is a core value of mine,” she asserts. These declarations are echoed throughout her memoir, where she crafts broader ambitions beyond political discourse, showcasing herself as methodically strategic. Melania draws comparisons to her parents, who managed to provide well for their children even against the odds of the Communist backdrop of Slovenia, setting her mother's work ethic as the personal motivation for her future successes.
The details from her childhood serve not merely as personal backstory but as stepping stones to highlight the emergence of 'Brand Melania.' The agenda sets itself to repackage her identity to explore entrepreneurial avenues like digital products and potentially other facets of modern business cultured branding.
Indeed, alongside the memoir, Melania's early ventures have already shown signs of success, displaying products such as digital art on her site, melaniatrump.com, indicating the entrepreneur who could emerge from the former first lady’s persona.
Melania isn’t shying away from building her identity; she’s, instead, claiming and redefining it as necessary for future prospects. The reaction from critics to her branding efforts, particularly the backlash against her latest book cover, does not seem to deter her vision of wide-scale influence. This is reflected directly by her willingness to confront subjects of her family's political culture and to challenge current perceptions of cancel culture, which she claims has significantly affected their business prospects.
“I was shocked and dismayed to learn my long-time bank decided to terminate my account and deny my son the opportunity to open one,” she lamented, addressing the political cancelation faced by her family post-presidency.
The fallout from the presidential election and its aftermath has been evident. Melania’s comments around control, privacy, and the right to secure identity become contextualized. Notably, she criticizes the so-called ‘cancel culture’ and reflects on the consequences it has for their business encasing. The dance around this interminable topic continues, as public sentiment both criticizes and accounts for the ideologies stemming from her decidedly pro-business and individualistic stances.
Meanwhile, as the memoir took off, it was not without resistance from the literary marketplace. Initially ranking number one on Amazon and showing promise, it fell behind notable titles such as those about Elvis Presley and works by Bob Woodward within just days. The dismay surrounding such popularity heightened discussions around public perception and reader engagement with the compelling narrative of Melania Trump.
Trump acknowledged during interviews how nervous he had been about both the reception and content of the memoir prior to reading it, but expressed confidence and praise upon assessment. He noted, "She wrote something very good. I was nervous before I read it. You never know, maybe she said bad things, but she didn’t." This reflects the complicated yet ambitious interplay of political persona and personal strategy within their relationship, emphasizing how Melania's achievements contribute to the Trump brand.
Indeed, her memoir does what many political texts only aspire to accomplish: it offers intimate glimpses of life both as Melania and as Mrs. Trump, building upon complex narratives and relationships curated throughout her life experiences.
While Melania's memoir offers potential glimpses of introspection and the chance to understand her public persona, critics continue to question the absence of significant criticisms of her husband or political ramifications. There’s minimal mention of the mounting legal troubles facing Donald Trump, with many readers voicing disappointment over the memoir's lack of candid reflections on more controversial aspects of their shared lives.
Nevertheless, the strategy appears functional as bold aspirational tones intermingle with business instincts, preparing the backdrop for future developments where Melania seeks to emerge as not just the first lady or the model but as the businesswoman ready to leave her own mark globally.
The convergence of personal ambitions and political influences creates captivating narratives as Melania seeks to engage with wider audiences through her memoir's intimate detailing of her experiences, thoughts, and her aspirations moving forward.
