Yellow Pages is using an enduring symbol of small business, the lemonade stand, to demonstrate the efficacy of its suite of digital marketing services in a new B2B campaign.
In late April, the company quietly opened a business called The Lemonade Stand in the Beaches neighbourhood in Toronto’s east end, and then promoted it using only its digital marketing products and services.
The company’s marketing efforts included the use of its digital syndication tool NetSync, as well as the creation and hosting of a basic website and Facebook page (which garnered 503 likes), complemented by search engine marketing, videography and photography. A total of 10 Yellow Pages employees participated in the initiative.
The Lemonade Stand attracted approximately 1,100 customers during the eight days it was open, eventually selling out its inventory (all of the proceeds were donated). It also garnered a write-up on BlogTO.com.
Working with its agency partners Leo Burnett and Jungle Media, Yellow Pages has created a B2B marketing campaign that includes conventional and specialty TV (including both 30-second and 15-second versions of the spot) sponsored video, pre-roll and takeover of the La Presse digital platforms.
The bilingual campaign runs through November and directs potential customers to the YPForBusiness.ca site, which outlines its suite of tools and services.
“A lot of our strength lies in the daily services and guidance that our employees provide to our customers, and we wanted to showcase that,” said vice-president of brand and marketing communications Paul Brousseau of the campaign.
Yellow Pages currently works with more than 240,000 small businesses in Canada, with Brousseau saying the “majority” of clients purchase digital services from the company. The company generates annual revenue of nearly $500 million.
