Passionate. Disoriented. Inspired.

It’s hard to describe the emotions evoked by listening to jazz, and harder still to represent it on paper. But, the latest campaign from Montreal radio station Couleur Jazz 91.9 just may have done it in three psychedelic, colourful outdoor executions featuring assorted jazz imagery from saxophones to drums to even a woman’s fishnet-encased legs.

‘We wanted to demonstrate visually how jazz makes you feel,’ says Nicolas Massey, CD at Montreal-based Amen-Époxy, adding that one of the agency’s mandates right now is to ensure its ads are visually appealing. ‘We want to tear down the Berlin Wall between advertising and design – we feel there’s a lack of visual design in advertising right now.’

If this campaign is any indication, the new mission is on target. At a recent concert in Montreal sponsored by the radio station, jazz pianist Oliver Jones signed prints of the ads and sold them, much like an artist would do with a poster or piece of art.

Massey says TV ads based on the print design are a possibility down the road.

client: Guy Banville, VP, programming and music; Louis Panneton, VP radio,

Radio North Communication

CD/copywriter: Nicolas Massey

AD/illustrator: Stéphane Legault

account director: Marie-Claude Fortin