If No One's Buying Into The Narrative Was A Person: "I Will Never Ever Again, Trust or Believe In Any Color!"

What's the lesson here?

When tensions are high, it pays to double down on what you stand for.

Especially when it means scraping the typical use of red, white, and black as the default signal of unity.

WHAT IS COLOR-MASQUERADING™?

Even if color is no longer trusted because it’s been used deceptively or in tone-deaf ways, that doesn’t mean thoughtful uses of color are off the table.

When color energizes the core idea, supports the argument, and says "WE own THIS conversation," the message stands out.

In Trinidad and Tobago, high-stakes campaigns typically place the identity of the group above the pain points of the people. Working on identity designs for the "We Will Rise" campaign, I got to see this. Flipping that on its head will instantly signal a shift on who the conversation is really about, without saying ”we're about the prosperous lives and well-being of all citizens.”

But it takes more than clever packaging to truly BE different.

POWER WITHOUT CHARACTER IS EVIL

Protest outside The Read House for Joshua Samaroo and Kaia Sealy

Real care isn’t seasonal; it doesn’t show up only when the spotlight moves.

When your actions align with what comes out of your mouth, then people can walk away without feeling compromised by aligning with your colors. Beyond spectacle, this is about embodying the change you talk about.

Until class and race stop being used as props to maintain power, and thoughts and ideas can instead take centre stage on behalf of one people, visual communication in Trinidad and Tobago will keep looking like a sign for The Greatest Show On Earth.

I break this down further in the updated version of my holiday E-book.

Justice For Joshua Samaroo And Kaia Sealy.