Yellow Pages
& White Pages
Problem
The Yellow Pages are an iconic part of of Kiwi’s lives. Familiar, recognisable, and universally understood. With Yellow evolving to become a solutions provider in more ways than directory services, they needed to create a fresh brand presence that spoke to their heritage while looking to the future.
Approach
As part of this shift I created a campaign concept which moved away from regional imagery and classic branding to focus on telling the stories of real Yellow customers. The covers offered Yellow prime real estate to showcase local businesses - showing how Yellow solutions help their business thrive.
Updating the branding to reflect Yellow’s new market presence
Solution
The campaign is anchored to the regional releases of the Yellow and White Pages, with over 18 publications staggered throughout the year on an annual cycle. The selected customers are showcased in a range of environments including the cover of Yellow Pages, a written editorial piece within the book, an online profile within the ‘Customer Stories’ section of Yellow’s website, a video talking about their business, social posts, posters and more.
Deliverables
Concept and strategy development
Leadership and board presentations
Design and production of an omnichannel approach including print, video, and social
Engagement with internal teams including product, marketing, sales, CX, and leadership
Production of campaign assets including ‘Customer Stories’ UI and UX, photography, videography, editing, print layouts, social posts, and more
White Pages covers were reserved for community groups and volunteers to celebrate them and showcase their work
Outcomes
The launch of the new-look directories, alongside the connected customer stories that tied into the new website and social platforms allowed Yellow to deliver a fresh experience that modernised their brand.
The availability of cover placements on the Yellow Pages also provided a sales opportunity for regions to monetise customer stories. This additional revenue covered the production costs of unsold covers in other regions. It also allowed us to dedicate the White Pages covers to community groups and volunteers who were showcased and celebrated.
The directory services now have a connection to their digital presence and provide a closer connection to people and the communities they are part of.
Learnings
The initial rollout was very hands-on by myself and the team. We reached out to customers, travelled around New Zealand, and became representatives for Yellow to the people featured. Sustaining the production of the covers required outsourcing photography, interviewing, and relationship management. By recognising this earlier we may have been able to develop process sooner to reduce costs and improve the quality of images we produced.