[ press Release ]
NEW YELLOW PAGES MEASUREMENT SERVICE SET TO RELEASE LOCAL DIRECTORY USAGE SHARES
2005 reports from Yellow Pages Market ReporterSM cover 161 Directory Distribution Areas (DDAs); syndicated service will give advertisers, agencies, and publishers a standardized methodology for individual Yellow Pages markets
Menlo Park, CA; January 4, 2006: In early 2006, Yellow Pages Market ReporterSM (YPMR)—a new Yellow Pages market measurement service from Knowledge Networks/SRI (KN/SRI)—will deliver specific directory usage data for 125 geographies covering 161 DDAs (Directory Distribution Areas). In total, KN/SRI conducted about 75,000 in-depth consumer interviews to produce these 2005 YPMR findings.
"Yellow Pages Market ReporterSM gives us an important new tool for making buying decisions in this unique medium," said Janice Lucente, Marketing Manager for Allstate. "Having these data at our fingertips will bring YP more deeply into the media mix, allowing us to better plan directory advertising as part of our established media allocation process and prove its effectiveness to marketers and others in our organizations."
Yellow Pages Market ReporterSM is the result of an intensive process which began when advertisers, ad agencies, and CMRs (Certified Marketing Representatives) made a request for independent third-party syndicated research to aid Yellow Pages advertisers in selecting directories in which to place ads. The rapid growth of multi-directory markets renders this information a necessity for making accurate ad buying decisions, and publishers have responded by funding measures in many DDAs.
Ten publishers participated in the 2005 program; they are Ambassador Yellow Pages; Associated Publishing Co.; AT&T Yellow Pages; BellSouth Advertising and Publishing Corp.; Cincinnati Bell Yellow Pages; Dex Media, Inc.; RH Donnelley Publishing and Advertising; Verizon Information Services; White Directory Publishers, Inc.; and Yellow Book USA, Inc. The 2005 publisher funded DDAs collectively represent 30% of the total U.S. adult population and encompass almost half (45%) of consumers located in A and B county areas.
Creation of the syndicated service has also been supported by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the Association of Directory Marketing (ADM), the Association of Directory Publishers (ADP) and the Yellow Pages Association (YPA). In addition, guidelines and standards for the YPMR measurement were developed under guidance of the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF).
In late January, KN/SRI expects to release 2005 YPMR reports on 45 key markets—a broad spectrum ranging from Manhattan (NY), Chicago, and San Francisco to Boise, Idaho. Data from the remaining 116 DDAs - including St. Louis; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Charlotte, NC; and Laredo, TX - and others will follow. Overall, DDAs in 63 different DMAs will be represented, including 33 of the top 50 DMAs.
Twelve CMRs (Certified Marketing Representatives) have already signed up for the 2005 YPMR reports; collectively they represent more than 60% of the $2+ billion in YP ads placed by national advertisers annually. Current non-publisher subscribers are Berry Network, Inc.; CommNet Marketing, Inc.; Cramer Krasselt; DAC Group; DCG Yellow Pages, Inc.; Hurrelbrink Advertising, Inc.; Ketchum Directory Advertising; Nationwide Yellow Pages; SMG Directory Marketing; TMP Directory Marketing; Wahlstrom Group; and YPM, Inc.
"We are excited to be providing Yellow Pages buyers and sellers with standardized market measurement that will make Yellow Pages an even bigger player in the media mix," said Burt Michaels, Vice President/Managing Director of Knowledge Networks/SRI and Director of the KN/SRI Yellow Pages research program. "All signs indicate that participation in YPMR by publishers, CMRs and others in the industry will be growing in 2006 and beyond."
More Information about Yellow Pages Market ReporterSM >>
Knowledge Networks/SRI has been a long-time measurement provider to the media industry - including Yellow Pages buyers and sellers - and won an industywide RFP (request for proposal) in order to launch the YPMR service. The final service parameters were designed by KN/SRI in conjunction with a broad representation of Yellow Pages stakeholders, who organized to steward the launch of this service.
Knowledge Networks delivers quality you can use—superior methodologies, design, and analysis that give you an edge when it comes to making smart, safe business decisions. KN's unmatched consumer research resources include the only projectable Web-based consumer panel. The company leverages its expertise in brands, media, advertising, and analytics to provide insights that speak directly to clients' most important marketing issues. In addition, Knowledge Networks has built a substantial practice in government and academic research, an area notable for its rigorous methodology standards.
In 2001, Knowledge Networks acquired assets and expertise from Statistical Research, creating Knowledge Networks/SRI. KN/SRI is one of the country's leading authorities on consumers' use and ownership of media and technology. The company is the leading measurement provider for Yellow Pages directories; other specialties include cross-media allocation (MultiMedia Mentor™) and studies of consumers' interactions with media (How People Use® research).
