The rise and fall of the Yellow Pages

Once a household staple, Yellow Pages revolutionized how customers found services. But after more than 50 years in print, the directory’s shift to digital, under Yell.com, couldn’t prevent its decline.

The Yellow Pages used to make life easier for everyone. By sorting businesses alphabetically into categories, it streamlined finding products and services and changed how small businesses reached customers.

But after being a permanent fixture in British households for more than 50 years, the final version of the print edition of Yellow Pages was delivered in January 2019. A staple of British households shifted entirely online under Yell.com.

Adaptability had been ingrained in the DNA of Yellow Pages from the early days. In 1983, John Condron, who headed marketing and went on to become chief executive, outlined their limitations. It was “a place you turned to if somebody broke your window or your plumbing packed up,” he said. Condron saw an opportunity for change and to increase its usage.

The company launched a new advert that marked a considerable change. “Good old Yellow Pages. We don’t just help with the nasty things in life, like a blocked drain. We’re there for the nice things too,” said the voiceover. The publication also forged a partnership with British Telecom in 1984, sparking a period of expansion that saw the introduction of over 70 local editions.