In order to make way for one of the world’s most luxurious…
““In order to make way for one of the world’s most luxurious buildings…’ Even though the publicity was almost entirely negative, there was a great deal of it, and that drew a tremendous amount of attention to Trump Tower. Almost immediately we saw an upsurge in the sales of apartments. I’m not saying it’s a good thing, and in truth it probably says something perverse about the culture we live in. But I’m a businessman, and I learned a lesson from that experience: good publicity is preferable to bad, but from a bottom-line perspective, bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Bad publicity can be more beneficial than no publicity, as controversy drives attention and sales.
In simple terms: Controversy boosts visibility, sometimes more than positive news.
Leverage controversy strategically.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- real estate sales
- political campaigns
- viral marketing
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When is negative attention worth the risk?
- How can you mitigate fallout from controversy?
Controversy can damage reputation despite short‑term gains.