Yellow Pages’ campaign helps local retailers go digital

Third annual Shop The Neighbourhood event bridges digital gap in local shopping

Yellow Pages Group is helping to digitize local retail with its latest “Shop the Neighbourhood” campaign, which takes place on Nov. 28.

The program, now in its third year, is designed to support small businesses by encouraging local shopping.

Strategically placed between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the event offers deals to help drive consumer traffic to local shops during a weekend when many Canadians shop in the U.S. or order online.

Participating stores and services receive free advertising on YP.ca and on YP Shopwise, an app dedicated to finding shopping deals. By downloading the YP Shopwise app, Canadians can access Shop The Neighbourhood promotions and deals available at local stores during the event.

“The vast majority of Canadians now start their shopping process online, where they do research and get more information about the products and services they need,” said Paul Brousseau, VP, brand communications at Yellow Pages. “Of the more than one million small businesses in this country, more than half don’t have a significant digital presence… and are not present as part of that information-gathering process, so it’s an inhibitor for the success of small businesses.”

“One of the roles that we play is to really help small businesses cross that digital divide, to enable them to have a digital presence and to be found online,” added Brousseau. “Foot traffic [alone] is not enough anymore to compete with how consumers are now investigating and buying products.”

New this year, Shop The Neighbourhood is launching a pilot program involving iBeacon technology at participating retailers in Burlington, Ont. and Montreal. On Nov. 28, shoppers who have downloaded the YP Shopwise app will receive notifications on their phones alerting them to the proximity of a deal or promotion exclusive to Shop The Neighbourhood.

Bell Media has renewed its partnership of Shop The Neighbourhood and will promote the program across the country. Spots will air on Bell Media’s English and French properties, and content integrations will be done across Bell Media’s conventional, specialty and radio properties.

Hosts and experts from The Marilyn Dennis show, The Social and eTalk will profile a number of Canadian neighbourhoods, and features will air on Canada AM and Bell Media radio programs.

The campaign also includes out-of-home advertising at street level and on digital superboards in English and French.

“Yellow Pages’ campaign has an ambitious vision that directly benefits the economic health of Canadian merchants and their neighbourhoods,” said Debbie Drutz, vice-president, Bell Media Mix, in a press release. “It’s our mission to deliver a strategy that brings this brand idea to life across the country and we’ve engaged a huge lineup of media personalities to help rally Canadians to shop locally.”

Last year’s Shop The Neighbourhood event saw more than 750,000 consumers spend $89 million at local neighbourhood retailers, according to Yellow Pages. More than 8,000 neighbourhood businesses participated nationwide, and Brousseau expects that number to double this year.

Add a comment

You must be to comment.

Media Articles

30 Under 30 is back with a new name, new outlook

No more age limit! The New Establishment brings 30 Under 30 in a new direction, starting with media professionals.

As Prime Minister, Kellie Leitch would scrap CBC

Tory leadership hopefuls are outlining their views on national broadcaster's future

‘Your Morning’ embarks on first travel partnership

Sponsored giveaway supported by social posts directed at female-skewing audience

KitchenAid embraces social for breast cancer campaign

Annual charitable campaign taps influencers and the social web for the first time

Netflix debates contributions with Canadian Heritage

Netflix remains wary of regulation as some tout 'Anne' and 'Alias Grace' partnerships

Canadians warm up to social commerce

PayPal and Ipsos research shows "Shop Now" buttons are gaining traction

Online ad exchange AppNexus cuts off Breitbart

Popular online ad exchange bans site for violating hate speech policy

Robert Jenkyn is back at Media Experts

Former Microsoft and Globe and Mail exec returns to the agency world

2016 Media Innovation Awards: The complete winners list

All the winning agencies from media's biggest night out!