Capturing the Perfect Moment: Legault Succeeds in France

After the Olympic Games and his government’s setbacks, this was certainly another moment of the year when the eyes of the world turned to France: the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris on December 7. While Quebecers have a particular attachment to their religious built heritage, that’s not what captured attention here. Three seemingly simple photos shook Quebec’s media landscape. A look back at a 24-hour trip to France by a Francois Legault in search of the perfect image. A successful tour, a model worth replicating.

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

In politics in 2024, if there’s no photo posted on social media, were you really there? Make no mistake, Francois Legault wasn’t going to Notre-Dame just to admire the grandeur of the cathedral or the architectural and engineering feats of its restorers. Since taking office, he has shown us on several occasions that foreign diplomacy was not his priority. Each of his international trips always has a very specific motivation beyond the official objective. This time, getting a photo with Donald Trump was justification enough for the trip. The conversation, in context, becomes almost secondary. Was the premier’s getaway inspired by the positive fallout from Justin Trudeau’s surprise visit to Mar-a-Lago? Almost certainly.

Later, it was Elon Musk’s turn, the billionaire founder of Tesla and influential donor to the president-elect, to be worked into the premier’s public relations strategy. One photo, a brief exchange, and just like that, Francois Legault gave the impression of being proactive on the battery supply chain file. The same applied to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a symbolic handshake as Quebec has taken in its share of refugees from the Eastern European country still ravaged by war.

Leaving a Trace of Your Actions

These three photos made us forget that Francois Legault had been relatively absent from the international stage since the start of his mandate, and they confirm just how important it is to document your actions on social media. We will probably never know what was truly said, but one thing is certain: we will remember that Mr. Legault spoke with Mr. Trump to defend Quebec. That is the power of a captured moment. Words fade, writing endures, but photos spread even faster.

For communication professionals like us, providing free content that sparks interest is the best thing you can offer the media. Throughout this string of photos posted on X, the premier’s team controlled the message, but more importantly, the subtext. « Mr. Legault is a significant player on the international stage, he is taking the lead to defend Quebec. » They said just enough to set Quebec’s online sphere ablaze and ensure the media couldn’t look away from these spontaneous reactions, generating articles and news reports along the way. They offered a monumental side show to media outlets whose desire to cover breaking news far outweighs commenting live on a lengthy religious and ceremonial event. They seized an opportunity to dominate the media space by redirecting the event’s coverage with masterful precision.

But the reality behind these images is starker. Tariffs won’t be resolved through social media photos, the battery supply chain’s troubles won’t be fixed with a handshake from Elon Musk, and Ukrainians won’t receive more help from the government because the premier greeted their leader on social media. In the end, results will speak for themselves. We will then have a fine opportunity to pull out those old photos and assess whether or not the real objective was actually achieved.