Dinnis adds colour to Yellow Pages

Yell Group is in the throes of a complete revamp of its Yellow Pages directory, working with little-known graphic design consultancy Dinnis Design.

The three-strong Middlesex group is undertaking a wholesale redesign of the phone book, which amounts to a review of both its cover and graphic and typographical elements of the directory’s layout. Though Yell remains tight-lipped about the extent of the changes, Design Week has learned that the traditionally yellow tome will from June feature a multitude of colours and graphic iconography on its cover.

This will contrast starkly with the Johnson Banks-designed ‘yellow objects’ covers, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and were replaced last year by a ‘white fingers’ design, also created by the group.

Prior to Johnson Banks’ involvement, Yellow Pages’ cover had not substantially changed for more than a decade. The consultancy was also responsible for introducing a new typeface to the directory.

In recent years, Yell has worked with John Brown Citrus Publishing and Reading group Cream Design on Yellow Pages’ front-of-directory Living in Your Area section and on guidelines for the Yell identity, respectively. It has also worked with Newcastle group NE6.

International directories business Yell owns printed directories Yellow Pages and Business Pages; Yell.com on-line classified directory; and Yellow Pages 118 24 7, the telephone classified and directory enquiries services.

Dinnis Design was formed in 2002 by former Lippa Pearce designer Rachel Dinnis, and the consultancy also counts Royal Mail among its clients.