In the wake of Donald Trump’s stunning presidential election victory, brands’ and business leaders’ responses have varied widely, with some celebrating his win and others expressing deep concerns. While certain CEOs, like Tesla’s Elon Musk, openly supported Trump during his campaign, many companies opted to stay silent on the matter.
However, within 24 hours of the election results, a range of leaders broke their silence, offering congratulatory messages, calling the election a “hard-fought victory,” and emphasizing a renewed focus on unity and empathy.
Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and Executive Chairman
“Big congratulations to our 45th and now 47th President on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory. Wishing Donald Trump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love.”
Elon Musk, Chief Technology Officer, X; CEO, Tesla
“The people of America gave @realDonaldTrump a crystal clear mandate for change tonight.”
Alexis McGill Johnson, CEO, Planned Parenthood
“Today, America broke our hearts but won’t break our souls. We won’t be silenced. We’ve fought long and hard, and there’s an even bigger fight ahead of us — but I know this: We’ll win the fight for reproductive freedom in the long game. We’re built for this.”
Andy Jassy, Amazon CEO
“Congratulations to President-elect @realDonaldTrump on a hard-fought victory. We look forward to working with you and your administration on issues important to our customers, employees, communities, and country.”
Tim Cook, CEO, Apple
“Congratulations President Trump on your victory! We look forward to engaging with you and your administration to help make sure the United States continues to lead with and be fueled by ingenuity, innovation, and creativity.”
Both Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase sent internal memos congratulating the 47th president.
David Solomon, CEO, Goldman Sachs
Solomon congratulated Trump on his election victory, calling for unity and acknowledging potential policy changes that could impact Goldman Sachs’ business and clients.
JPMorgan Chase
JPMorgan congratulated Trump and JD Vance on the victory, expressing a commitment to “bringing our nation together” and focusing on pressing economic and global issues. The statement highlighted the bank’s history of bipartisan engagement and expressed eagerness to work with the new administration and elected officials across the aisle.
Agencies Respond
In response to Donald Trump’s election victory, Ad Age gathered insights from 33 advertising, marketing, media, and tech leaders on potential changes for the industry under his administration.
Executives discussed anticipated shifts in brand messaging, economic impacts of proposed tariffs, concerns about the future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, and the potential for deregulated ad environments. Below are a sampling of the responses:
Jason DeLand, partner, Anomaly
“[The industry must] wake up. Brands must pay attention. Get to work on creating better products, experiences and services. Get to know your consumers and be more in tune with their actual lives, wants and needs. Stop chasing Gen Z around the block and talk more about values. Messaging around unity and positivity is essential. And take some risks. The pundits, including me, are probably full of shit.”
Steve Denekas, chief creative officer, Crispin
“The Trump re-election reveals the truth about so many aspects of America. For brands, it’s a clear call to action. Rally around your values and bring forward empathy into every aspect of your organization. From the culture within the company to every message you deliver from the bottom of the funnel to the top. Lead with purpose always.”
Richard Edelman, CEO, Edelman
“This election could cause a boom for the economy that will free up ad spend. If you’re a brand, it’s important to be optimistic and forward-looking. In an environment where everything has become overly politicized, it’s important for brands to act in a way that’s not deemed political. Consumers are eager to move on from the strife of the past months and feel good again.”
Cindy Gallop, founder and CEO, IfWeRanTheWorld and MakeLoveNotPorn
“Trump returning as U.S. President means that the closed loop of white guys talking to white guys about other white guys at the top of our industry will feel even more emboldened to keep women out of leadership and power while sexually harassing and grabbing them by the p—y wherever and whenever they feel like it, while shutting down even token DEI efforts completely, because those will now actively disadvantage them business-wise, thereby keeping our industry as racist, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, ableist and ageist as it’s ever been. ”
Adrienne Lucas, global head of DEI and strategic partnerships, The One Club for Creativity
“Trump has openly criticized DEI initiatives and training, labeling them as “divisive” and “anti-American propaganda.” Under his presidency, many brands may become more hesitant to engage in DEI conversations, fearing potential legal backlash or public criticism. This could lead to a bigger retreat from DEI-related initiatives and spending, a trend we’ve already seen in recent years. That said, bold brands, like Nike and Ben & Jerry’s, may continue to push the envelope with purpose-driven campaigns that resonate with their core values.”
For the full story on Ad Age, click here.
As the industry adjusts to a new administration, these leaders emphasize adaptability, empathy, and a focus on core values to maintain brand relevance and integrity.
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