Will Trump actually spend money on an ad blitz?

[Lyin' Steve]

Trump has been promising for months that he'll use his personal wealth on a massive ad blitz.  It's been "any day now" for a couple weeks now.  But a lot of people have also speculated that he never will.  Not only may Trump's assets not be particularly liquid, and his willingness to spend his own money on what's not a sure thing may be low, but he also seems to love bragging on the campaign trail about how little money he's spent.  It feels like it's a point of pride to him, and he's been rolling out the line "I've spent the least money and I'm in first place.  That's what our country should do!" on the campaign trail (and I think it was in the debate) over the last couple weeks and it's been getting a lot of applause.
The only money he's spent has been on campaign organization and it seems like that's entirely from donors on his website.  Will he ever go all-in and drop millions of the Trump fortune on an ad blitz, or will he stick to the earned media strategy that's worked out well so far for him?

[Vega]

I mean, he needs to. If he get's a few good ads running nation (or just Iowa) wide, I'm sure he would take over Carson by a good number of points.

[The Mikado]

You would not expect an ad blitz before Thanksgiving, in fairness. We should know in December.

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Well he has the money to obliterate any candidate he chooses so.....I'd say maybe.

[Likely Voter]

He may produce a few ads and try to spend a little on them (ideally money from the online donations) but make them so controversial they get free media attention. But I think in the end Trump is not going to spend the $30M+ that he would have to in order to compete with his competitors and the mainstream outside groups that are sure to come after him.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Does he need to? He's got all sorts of free media coverage. Bernie on the other hand is purposefully ignored, so needs some ads.

[Lyin' Steve]

Does he need to? He's got all sorts of free media coverage. Bernie on the other hand is purposefully ignored, so needs some ads.

I hear more about Bernie than I do about Clinton tbh

[Likely Voter]

Today on Hardball WaPo Robert Costa said according to his sources "close to" Trump say he wants to "wait until the last minute" to decide to spend money on ads and "only if he thinks he can win." He also said "he doesn't want to spend any money unless he has to" and he doesn't want to spend any money on ads until January or February.

[The Free North]

Honestly I think the more he drops the less he's going to spend. I dont see him trying to claw back as a 'loser' in this race at all.

[Mr. Morden]

Trump said in an interview on Hannity last night that he's going to start airing ads in the early primary states within the next few weeks:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/donald-trump-ads-early-states-2016-215505

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[Maxwell]

Does he need to? He's got all sorts of free media coverage. Bernie on the other hand is purposefully ignored, so needs some ads.

Real candidates have fans who aren't conspiracy theorists. Looks like Bernard is not a real candidate.

[Likely Voter]

Trump said in an interview on Hannity last night that he's going to start airing ads in the early primary states within the next few weeks:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/donald-trump-ads-early-states-2016-215505

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Turns out the new ads are just radio ads
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/04/donald-trump-to-run-his-first-campaign-ads-on-the-radio/

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Trump is probably able to afford radio using his regular 'passive' fundraising (via his site and what people mail in). I am still skeptical that Trump will ever spend serious money on his campaign. If the campaign felt they had to start spending more money on TV, I would not be surprised to see Trump move to more active fundraising ( events, calls and direct mail). He really seems determined not to spend his own money, even though he keeps talking about how he is going to do it.

[Mehmentum]

Its probably a waste to spend money on ads until January or February anyway. 

I feel like the main purpose of ads at this point is to introduce yourself to voters and up name recognition. Trump has neither of those problems.

[Likely Voter]

More evidence that Trump doesn't really want to self-fund, he actually tried to get other billionaires to help...

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[Lief 🗽]

More evidence that Trump doesn't really want to self-fund, he actually tried to get other billionaires to help...

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Or he's just trying to get them sit out.

[heatmaster]

If you are a blowhard as which he is and you are getting free media and all the air time you want and not pay a cent, I wouldn't. ...it's a no brainer.  Like it or not, folks know where Trump stands and his campaign us not a conventional campaign; the playbook by which Clinton, McCain, Obama and Romney used has been dumped In toilet by Trump. Ironic isn't it? Hillary is being viewed now as possibly or probably unelectable, why?  Because of a perception which has gained currency. Trump has the bit between his teeth. I bet old bubba had wished he'd never made that phone call. Can imagine if it is indeed Trump as the standard bearer and is seen as more electable than Hillary,  life at Chappaqua won't be pretty for old bubba and he will truly be lying out on the porch😂😂😂😉😃😁

[Mr. Morden]

For those interested, here are the radio ads Trump will be running in early primary states:

http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/donald-trump-releases-his-first-ads-559821380002