What's Black And Yellow And A Wee Bit Smaller?

The answer? The Yellow Pages. At least, that 's what Yell, a leading independent publisher of Yellow Pages and other printed and online directories around the world, is claiming as the most significant breakthrough to hit the directories business since the Internet. Shaving give centimeters off the height and four centimeters from the width of the standard "A4" Yellow Pages format, Yell claims the new "compact size" directories is the "most significant revamp in more than 40 years."

"An overwhelming number - 85% [of consumers] - said they would prefer to receive a compact format directory rather than a standard A4 size," Yell claimed, citing consumer research that the digest-size directories were easier to read than traditional formats.

Yell said it would roll the new format out beginning at the end of June, and said it would include other graphic modifications, including a new "local listings" feature making it easier for consumers to find a business in their desired location.

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The new compact format also incorporates a font specially-selected to enhance the smaller directory's readability.

The overall number of pages in each edition will remain similar to the traditional A4 format, but its reduced height and width means it will be small enough to fit through standard size mail boxes at households and businesses.

Another key benefit of the new Yellow Pages format will be its green impact. While Yellow Pages directories already contain on average 54% recycled fiber content with the virgin pulp comprising the rest of the directory sourced from sustainably managed forests, Yell noted that the new, smaller size publications will utilize even less natural resources to produce and distribute.

4 comments about "What's Black And Yellow And A Wee Bit Smaller?".
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  1. Catherine Maino from Main Opt, February 10, 2010 at 8:50 a.m.

    Agreed! The clients we work with are reducing or eliminating their ads in any of the Yellow Page directories. Personally, I do not use them and since opening our agency I am amazed at the diverse number of directories I never knew existed!! How many do we need? Now with the internet apparently....none.

  2. David Adelman from OCD Media, February 10, 2010 at 9:44 a.m.

    Wow, this is such big news. I'm never going to use the internet to find a business again! <sarcasm>.

  3. Jack Denneboom from Denneboom Inc., February 10, 2010 at 10:56 a.m.

    We get dozens dropped at our doorstep every few months and they all go directly to recycling. I can't believe anyone still spends their advertising dollars in printed directories.

    Please don't deliver anymore unsolicited books to us.

  4. Lisa Vilfordi from SuperMedia, February 10, 2010 at 4:58 p.m.

    Hi Joe,

    I work for a competitor of Yell, SuperMedia. We publish the Verizon Yellow Pages and also have Superpages.com. I found this article interesting because many publishers have been delivering smaller books for a number of years. We call them companion directories. Font sizes, font style, column size, number of columns and height and width of directories have significantly and continuously been changing over the years. So I don't think a smaller directory is the "most significant revamp in more than 40 years" is accurate.

    Now, SuperMedia has launched innovations that are the most exciting things to happen to this industry since the invention of the color yellow.

    Last year we introduced the SuperGuarantee (www.superguarantee.com) program available in all our products. When a consumer hires a painter, auto mechanic, contractor, plumber or other service provider that is part of our program, we will stand by the work. If there is a problem, we will step in and make it right. If we can’t, we will cut a check for up to $500 to the consumer. The program is free to both the consumer and eligible client. Since the launch of this program we have seen double digit increases in the possession and usage of our directories -- increases that haven't been seen in years.

    For our SMBs, we’ve created the SuperTradeExchange (www.supertradeexchange.com) – a national barter program where our clients can provide goods and services to other clients within the exchange. A great way of doing business in a recession.

    Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
    Lisa Vilfordi

    One other note, directories have been made with post-consumer recycled fibers and remaining paper content from wood chips and pulp—waste products of the lumber industry for many years. Here is our company's environmental page - http://www.supermedia.com/social-responsibility/environmental-sustainability

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