• by February 20, 2001

For the first time in its history, BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Corporation is selling the remnant space in its Yellow Pages. The program is called The Dynamic Space Advertising Program, and it offers virtually hundreds of ads randomly placed throughout The Real Yellow Pages.

This year, Atlanta-based AirTran Airways, the airline formerly known as ValuJet, bought up all of this remnant space in the metropolitan Atlanta, Greater Gwinnett, Roswell/Alpharetta and Marietta directories in addition to a regular ad in the airlines section of the Yellow Pages. AirTran's goal is increased brand awareness of its website, hence the ads do no include a phone number, but only a web address.

Rick Spraggins, president of Directory Link Advertising, which worked out the deal for AirTran, said "you could be under zippers or loans, and see an AirTran ad. They're spread out sporadically. You'll see it a lot, and hopefully you'll remember AirTran."

Although actual numbers weren't disclosed, Spraggins said that AirTran received a discounted rate for the first year. He also said website hits have been up, and although there's no sure way to tell, AirTran thinks these ads have something to do with that. - Adam Bernard