Yellowbook Launches New Marketing Campaign

This just in . . . Yellowbook announced the launch of their new integrated marketing campaign today.

Here’s the full press release:

YELLOWBOOK LAUNCHES NEW MULTI-MEDIA CAMPAIGN
THAT REDEFINES THE FUTURE OF LOCAL SEARCH

‘Say Yellow to the Future’ Escalates Yellowbook Brand

UNIONDALE, NY, May 5, 2008 -- Yellowbook, the leading independent publisher of print and online yellow pages directories nationwide, announced today the launch of a new integrated marketing campaign entitled “Say Yellow to the Future.” The campaign includes a full branding makeover with a new streamlined logo and a name conversion to one word (formerly Yellow Book), new television commercials by Oscar-nominated Hollywood director Vadim Perelman, and newly designed print directories that present the company as a forward-thinking, innovative digital force of the future.

The newly condensed name and fresh typeface give Yellowbook a sleeker, more digitally-focused feel. Part of the new logo depicts an evolution of the traditional industry-wide walking fingers icon. The book is removed and the fingers could now pass for walking or running through pages, pointing or clicking – an adaption to reflect the growing versatility of Yellowbook’s search options.

“Local businesses have relied on Yellowbook for more than 75 years to drive and support their client base,” said Gordon Henry, Yellowbook’s chief marketing officer. “While 87 percent of Americans use traditional yellow pages, there’s been exceptional growth online. Yellowbook.com has seen explosive growth in unique visitors, and our search engine advertising product, WebReach, has gained tremendous momentum. This campaign is part of our commitment to continued innovation and, importantly, to helping consumers find what they’re really looking for—wherever they search.”

‘Say Yellow to the Future’ Multi-Media Campaign

The new “Say Yellow to the Future” campaign represents a natural evolution of Yellowbook’s brand and its goal to help local business remain visible and accessible in an e-commerce society.

In one of the new television spots, set in the future, a bullied boy with an extreme wedgie returns from school. He turns to Yellowbook on his touch-screen and a holographic sensei leaps from the screen into his living room – transforming the boy into a martial arts whiz, brimming with self-confidence. A second TV spot, also set in the future, features Blanca Soto, former Miss Mexico World, as a bride-to-be who needs an embarrassing tattoo removed before her wedding. Her interactive Yellowbook guide helps her on her quest for a clean slate.

“The TV executions are fairly simple storylines, but the subtext of the spots is that Yellowbook will not only help you find a local business, but a higher order emotional benefit like self-confidence or a fresh start,” said Michael Jordan, creative director for Gotham, Inc.

The last scene in each ad showcases and directs viewers to visit yellowbook.com. The site’s consumer interface was recently redesigned, offering an enhanced overall user experience and greater relevancy in search results as well as advanced interactive mapping. The new campaign follows on the heels of the Yellowbook Network being named the top-gaining web property in the United States in March of this year, according to comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world.

Yellowbook’s multi-media advertising campaign will launch on national TV and cable networks and national print publications. In addition, Yellowbook is expanding its marketing campaign to include online digital display.

Yellowbook developed the campaign in partnership with the New York City-based ad agency Gotham Inc. The television spots were shot by Vadim Perelman, acclaimed director of “The House of Sand and Fog” and the newly released “The Life Before Her Eyes.”

About Yellowbook
Yellowbook is the #1 independent publisher of print and online yellow pages directories nationwide. Founded in 1930, Yellowbook published nearly 1,000 printed directory editions in its 2007 fiscal year with a circulation of approximately 123 million. The company's online directory, yellowbook.com, reaches millions of users via computers and mobile phones through organic web searches and through Yellowbook's network of partner sites. The company's humorous advertising campaigns have made Yellowbook one of the nation's most recognized brands. Yellowbook has a sales force of approximately 5,000 - one of the largest media sales forces in the U.S. Over the past decade Yellowbook has made over 50 acquisitions and now operates in 48 states, plus the District of Columbia. Visit the company’s website at http://www.yellowbook.com/.


Release on BusinessWire at: http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080505005416&newsLang=en