YellowPages.com Refreshes 'Need Something' Campaign

AT&T’s YellowPages.com has extended last year’s “Need Something?” campaign, created by agency of record GSD&M, with a new cross-media effort that keeps the tagline “We wrote the book on local search.” The campaign will roll out online after an initial TV push.

Online brand ad placements use rich media to emulate a search experience. One banner unit, in signature yellow, projects the copy “Need Something? For a Wedding?” Then a search box appears with the options “dance lessons,” “dating services,” “cosmetic surgery.” Finally the ad displays a functioning search bar where users can enter text and seek a business listing. Additional banner units apply the same subtle humor to themes like carpools, lottery jackpots, and houseguests.

The effort doesn’t stray far from last year’s campaign, which was the first national advertising undertaken by the directory listing site.

“We’re building off the success and momentum of the 2006 campaign. This year we’re focused on building the brand awareness and site usage,” said Mary Jane Thornburg, director of marketing communications at YellowPages.com.

GSD&M handled both creative and media planning. Ads will run on a mix of sites through buys made directly with publishers and through ad networks. Thornburg was not able to name specific sites where ads will run.

The entire campaign, including TV and online, will amount to “tens of millions” of dollars in spending. Said Thornburg, “It’s a significant spent for us.”

The TV campaign pairs visuals with the not-so-normal situations also used in the online campaign. One spot features a man jogging up an office escalator, then gives search results for health clubs. The TV buy includes early morning and late night network TV spots, and a cable TV buy that reaches a range of day parts.