The Yellow Pages has gone digital.
In a rapidly changing digital world, all brands, even iconic ones, need to adapt their strategies to stay relevant. The Yellow Pages has done just that. Previously, the Yellow Pages was “brought to you” by Trudon, now after extensive research, the company has decided to fully embrace the heritage of the brand and make it all-encompassing.
As of 1 April 2018, Yellow Pages will be the Go-to-Market Brand, the Employer Brand and the Master Brand. While Trudon will remain the holding company, it will no longer be market facing. This is a result of months of market research which showed that there is a high affinity to the Yellow Pages brand, which has been in our lives for over 50 years.
Many South Africans remember the trusted, Yellow Pages books that landed at our gates – our go to when we needed repairs or services. The one place we could find anything and anyone we needed. The issue has arisen though, that in an increasingly digital world, these books, while remembered with fondness, searching for information digitally is fast becoming the new norm.
Itumeleng Matlaila, GM: Marketing and Business Intelligence says, “The Yellow Pages is a heritage brand in South Africa and in moving with the times, we made a decision to keep the element of familiarity but further invest in digital search platforms. The changing face of consumers has led us to reconsider how they consume the information we provide. By relaunching, we aim to remain relevant in the market.”
As of April 2018, the Yellow Pages will have a new look and feel, including a new logo, new brand positioning, and most importantly, a new strategy to increase its footprint with younger and digitally savvy audience. This includes existing clients, with offerings of bundled digital products and potential customers with offerings of self-registration and the greater opportunity to be found.
As part of this, the Yellow Pages is also re-launching its app which will eventually see over 100,000 small and medium businesses registered. This means that the convenience of the old days is now available at your fingertips. The Yellow Pages App, like the book, is a database of local service providers you could possibly need in your day to day life – from plumbers to electricians and restaurants and financial institutions.
The app features a chat function which allows consumers to chat directly to potential suppliers in real time. The app also allows a consumer to see average costs as well as ratings and reviews of previous work done. All of these features mean this platform guarantees that your search will yield a find without you having to scroll through numerous pages.
“The Yellow Pages is a media company that our customers use as a platform to get found. We are now using technology to amplify their visibility and help the end user find them,” concludes Matlaila.
Edited By: Darryl Linington
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