YELLOW PAGES
Yellow Pages was registered in the UK for advertising and directory services and became one of the most recognised service marks in Britain through its memorable television advertising campaigns, including the 1983 'Fly Fishing by J.R. Hartley' advert. The brand illustrates how a Class 35 trademark can achieve cultural penetration far beyond its commercial function, and how digital disruption can erode even the strongest brand positions.
UK IPO Record
Trademark Classification
Nice Class 35 covers advertising & retail. View all Class 35 trademarks and case studies →
Brand History & Trademark Analysis
Yellow Pages was launched in the UK in 1966 by the General Post Office as a classified business directory, printed on yellow paper to distinguish it from the residential White Pages. The directory was distributed free to every UK household and at its peak in 1999 carried over 750,000 business listings and generated £1.4 billion in annual advertising revenue. British Telecom owned the brand following the Post Office's split in 1981. The company that operated Yellow Pages demerged from BT in 2012 as Yell Group, rebranded to Hibu, and later revived the Yellow Pages name for its digital directory services. The printed directory ceased publication in January 2019 after 53 years.