What happens when media strategy meets personality politics? And what does Elon Musk have to do with it?
CARMA’s Flooding the Zone report, produced in collaboration with Quinnipiac University, investigates how the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term have reshaped political and corporate media narratives — with a spotlight on the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Drawing on 158,000+ media articles and analysis from Quinnipiac University students, this is essential reading for communications leaders looking to understand how sentiment, strategy, and reputation intersect in real time.
Inside the report:
- Elon Musk’s “Reputational Anchor” – Coverage sentiment dropped by 20% when Musk appeared in stories about DOGE. His presence consistently shifted narratives around Tesla, Starlink, and SpaceX into more negative territory, even when the topic wasn’t about him.
- Did Flooding the Zone Work? – We explore the effectiveness of Trump’s media saturation strategy — including how some favourable news stories were drowned out by louder headlines, and what this reveals about today’s attention economy.
- DOGE by the Numbers – The newly formed department received massive early coverage. But was it positive? Our analysis reveals how the sentiment evolved and which figures shaped the tone.
- Impact Across Sectors – From policy wins to press pitfalls: See how Musk’s involvement in DOGE affected brand coverage and sentiment across key industries like energy, tech, and aerospace.
- Sentiment, Strategy, and Scrutiny – Why reputational risk is increasingly tied to individual figures — and what comms professionals can do to anticipate and manage media dynamics in high-stakes environments.
Download the full report to explore how narrative control, reputational risk, and media influence collided in the first 100 days of DOGE.