Public relations |The white of transparency |The press

The color of the clothes is important when you publicly speak during crisis or image management.To everyone on Sunday, Maripier Morin and his entourage made good use of white.

For his visit to the Dominical Radio-Canada program, Maripier Morin did not put a dress from the big evenings of televised gala or compensated heels as in his Buick advertisements.Even less a mauve blouse revealing her bra, like the one carried in 2017 on the same set, when she had denounced the actions of the host Éric Salvail.

The words, in the circumstances, going to be just as scrutinized as the physical appearance, the host, disappeared from the radars for a few months following allegations of aggression, inappropriate gestures and racist words, reappeared before theCameras soberly with a white wool sweater.

"The color is never trivial," explains Martine St-Victor, a communication strategist and founder of Milagro public relations workshop.Everything is calculated because there is an effect.»»

Unlike her visit in 2017, Maripier Morin's make -up was minimal and the choice of jewelry, modest for this interview where she stressed having outbuildings and wanting to apologize to people injured by her behavior."This look was chosen as if to say:" I am bare in front of you, here is my true nature ", summarizes Martine St-Victor.White evokes cleanliness, order, transparency and one side: “I am a simple girl, like you.I too have imperfections, you see it in my face.I’m not trying to hide them. ”»»

Maripier Morin tries to redo a virginity.She took the blame.She wants to make a blank page.She could also have arrived in black, as if to symbolize the mourning or the withdrawal of her appointment to the artist gala, announced by her on Sunday.

Mylène Forget, president of the Massy Forget Langlois Firm public relations

Last fall, Verushka Lieutenant-Duval, the professor of the University of Ottawa plunged into a storm after having pronounced the word that begins with N in a course, also presented itself on the set of Guy A. Lepage dressedof a white sweater.In 2002, during an interview with Diane Sawyer, singer Whitney Houston spoke of her dependence on drugs and her years of dressed white.

« En 2012, Hillary Clinton, alors secrétaire d’État, s’est rendue au Bangladesh et, lors de sa première sortie, on l’a vue sans maquillage, à part un peu de rouge à lèvres, se remémore Martine St-Victor. C’était surprenant, même rafraîchissant. Ce geste a montré une certaine humanité et adouci l’image de M^me Clinton. Cette humanité est certes aussi ce que M^me Morin voulait vendre. »

Work the non-verbal

In crisis and image management, the choice of color is important, such as clothing style and accessories, because they complete the verbal message, according to the specialists interviewed by the press."The non-verbal is just as important," says Mylène Forget.

Their customers are guided in this sense."It's part of the arsenal of communications tools," explains Mylène Forget.That said, we must always respect the style of the person.If it is eccentric, it will not be fundamentally changing it.We don't want an artificial transformation.»»

The color has been important for a long time, that the customer evolves in the cultural, political or business environment."It is in our recommendations," says Mylène Forget.Just like the wallpaper at a virtual conference.A library can accompany a very serious message, for example.There is a certain staging.We want to pass the message as effectively as possible.»»

Chosen at the start because it was cold, André Caillé's white turtleneck then carried from press briefing to a press briefing, during the 1998 ice crisis, remains in the collective memory.

The turtleneck symbolizes: we are at work.A jacket-cratate would have implied a pattern disconnected from reality.

Mylène Forget, president of the Massy Forget Langlois Firm public relations

In such cases, it is often the unconscious of the viewer who is arrested."In functional magnetic resonance imaging (irmf), we see that a color does not activate the same areas of the brain as another," notes Jean-Gabriel Causse, author of the book The Amazing Power of Colors.

The designer and color specialist believes that green is the best color for crisis management."It is that of balance, which is in the middle of the color spectrum," he said.Green has a good perception.It conveys this whole zen and serene side.It is also the green light, the symbol that we advance, of confidence.At the notary, we have long signed on a green cover.In casinos, the game carpets are green.Even if the player loses a lot of money, he feels like he can do it again.»»

Mr. Causse recalls that politics has built on color."The first thing that is explained is the importance of that of the tie," he said.Red indicates a desire for action, and blue, a desire to appease things.Politicians know this.»»

For their part, women in politics have an interest in wearing a strong color from head to head, like Angela Merkel, according to the specialist."Thus, when they are photographed surrounded by men, they stand out," he notes.They can also display their charisma and insurance in this way.»»