Trump brands near rock bottom in customer perception survey

Americans are lukewarm on the family business empire

Workers remove letters from the "TRUMP" sign on top of the Trump International Hotel and Tower, after the project's new owner reached a deal with Trump Hotels to buy out its management contracts, in downtown Toronto, Canada on July 18, 2017 (REUTERS/Chris Helgren)

The Trump brand helped sway American voters, but it’s not appealing much to consumers according to a new survey.

Both President Donald Trump’s signature hotel line and his daughter Ivanka’s clothing sit near the bottom of customer perception rankings, according to the survey from YouGov.

The organization found that the businesses lagged their competitors in consumer perceptions of quality and value, languishing in the bottom 10 of the more than 1,600 brands tracked by YouGov’s BrandIndex.

Despite that lukewarm response, there were some positive signs for Ivanka’s business ventures. YouGov found that Democrats and independents have developed a steadily more positive view of her brand over the last few months, though Republican perceptions have dipped.

As for the President - the numbers around the brands under his name have mostly held steady over the last few months, the survey found.

Unsurprisingly, a partisan divide runs through the ratings. Republicans hold generally positive views of the Trump brands; both independents and Democrats hold negative views, with Democrats evincing lower perceptions.

The unfavorable ratings for Trump bands reflect the President’s dwindling approval ratings. A recent Gallup poll found that just a third of Americans were happy with Mr Trump’s presidential performance, an historically low figure for this point in his tenure.

The President's extensive business holdings have become a source of controversy, with ethics experts warning his global financial entanglements will inevitably clash with his public duties. A federal judge recently heard arguments in a lawsuit contending Mr Trump is violating the Constitution because patrons of his Washington, DC hotel and other businesses represent an illegal gift from foreign actors.