All they will see are lines and images. But it’s not a mistake: it’s a campaign. The back of this 'front page' features the slogan for the Montreal daily’s new promotional campaign, 'Words matter', and the real front page, complete with articles, appears on page three.

it's all part of The Gazette's first advertising campaign by its new agency, bleublancrouge.

The newspaper decided to use this innovative tactic devised by bleublancrouge. The goal is to make The Gazette readers realize the importance of words and to highlight te paper's competitive advantage.

“We at The Gazette clearly have a penchant for words," says Bernard Asselin, vice-president, marketing, sales and reader services, at The Gazette. "We use them to inform our readers of what’s happening on the world stage as well as in their own backyard." Asselin syas that this advertising coup marks the launch of an extensive campaign that will run on television and radio, as well as within The Gazette itself.

Gaëtan Namouric, creative director at bleublancrouge, says that words, whether penned by famous people—for example, Winston Churchill’s “Never, never, never give up”—or by an anonymous writer reporting on a specific event, make an impression.

"Our objective is to use the printed word to remind Montrealers of the importance of reading—not just any words, but words published in The Gazette." says Namouric.

Print ads vary, using, for example, the numbers one to 10 spelled as they sound to someone who doesn't read; I ____ you; readme.txt; a sketch of the hangman game with a blank space underneath; a page blank except for the word 'I'; and "Do you think my butt looks fat in this?" At the bottom of each page is simply The Gazette and, underneath 'Words matter'.

The agency creative team working with Namouric on The Gazette account includes: Andrew Morgan, Kristian Andersen (and Namouric), copywriters; Laura Kim, art director; Claude Lamoureux. media; Normand Vaillancourt, agency producer; Studio 8, print production.