From steak to aftershave to urine tests, how Trump's merchandising empire has collapsed

Daily Telegraph UK

By Ben Riley-Smith

17 Apr, 2018 09:59 PM2 mins to read

US President Donald Trump. Photo / AP

For years at the height of his Apprentice fame the appeal of living, dressing, eating and smelling like Donald Trump showed few limits.

There were Trump steaks, Trump deodorant, Trump shoes, Trump vodka, Trump ties and, bizarrely, a Trump-branded urine test.

But the US President's decision to trade TV stardom for frontline politics appears to have had a corrosive effect on the appeal of his brand name.

All but two of the 19 companies paying him to produce or distribute Trump-branded products when he joined the President race have stopped, according to the Washington Post.

The findings reflect Trump's transition from popular television personality to divisive Republican President over the last decade.

It also indicates that parts of the President' business empire, now run by his two sons, have suffered since he entered the Oval Office.

In 2009, Trump reported that his licensing partners sold US$215 million worth of Trump-licensed goods across the world, according to the Washington Post.

One product was Trump steaks. "The meat category represents Mr Trump's power," explained his head of global licensing when it launched.

Another was Trump aftershave, called Success. "The masculine combination of rich vetiver, tonka bean, birchwood and musk creates a powerful presence throughout wear," read one blurb.

Trump Network, a vitamin company, reportedly sent customers urine-sample kits branded with a Trump logo.

"Take a snapshot of the most critical metabolic markers in your body's natural waste fluids," the website said.

When Trump joined the presidential race in 2015 he had 19 remaining licenses paying some US$2.4 million a year, according to the Washington Post.