Press Release

YELLOWPAGES.COM SELECTS GSD&M

  • Leading Internet Yellow Pages offers faster connection between consumers and millions of local businesses

Pasadena, Calif., August 25, 2005

YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC has selected GSD&M as its new advertising agency following a thorough agency review. This will be the first ad agency of record for the new company, which is an Internet Yellow Pages joint venture of SBC Yellow Pages and BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Corp.

GSD&M's mission is to support the new YELLOWPAGES.COM in developing a campaign strategy that will build brand awareness and traffic and will position it as the premier site for local information. YELLOWPAGES.COM and GSD&M are in the process of formalizing their relationship.

"Our goal was to select a leading agency that could work with us to promote the new YELLOWPAGES.COM site and further develop a strong brand," said Matt Crowley, vice president of marketing for YELLOWPAGES.COM. "Based on their body of work and their insights into our business and industry, it was clear that GSD&M would be a key partner to help us achieve our objectives."

"The Yellow Pages brand has a rich heritage of bringing buyers and sellers together. Now YELLOWPAGES.COM is poised to become the leader in providing the most complete local information available electronically," said GSD&M president and founder Roy Spence. "We're looking forward to contributing our creative and strategic insights as part of the YELLOWPAGES.COM team."

SBC Yellow Pages and BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Corp. agreed in 2004 to merge their Internet Yellow Pages operations and subsequently purchased YELLOWPAGES.COM. The new YELLOWPAGES.COM site will launch in late 2005 as a premier Internet Yellow Pages offering that connects buyers and sellers. With the launch of the new site, consumers who are searching for local products and services online will have access to a database of rich, comprehensive advertiser content, along with shopping guides, city guides and more.

YELLOWPAGES.COM and GSD&M plan to have a new campaign developed and ready to launch in early 2006.

YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC is a joint venture operation of SBC Yellow Pages and BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Corporation. Formed in late 2004, the company currently operates three leading Internet Yellow Pages sites - SMARTpages.com, RealPages.com and YELLOWPAGES.COM. The YELLOWPAGES.COM distribution network provides exposure to more than 70 million monthly consumer business searches. In late 2005, the three sites will merge to form a premier Internet Yellow Pages site at the URL www.yellowpages.com.

About GSD&M Since its founding by six college students in 1971, Austin-based GSD&M has grown to more than 700 people and 2004 billings estimated at more than $1.4 billion. GSD&M has become widely known for developing visionary ideas for brands with a purpose. Some of those brands include Wal-Mart, SBC, Chili's Grill & Bar, Southwest Airlines, the U.S. Air Force, DreamWorks and MasterCard. GSD&M is part of Omnicom Group, Inc. (NYSE:OMC).

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