192.com to use direct and ads to attract consumers

by Mark Sweney,, Marketing 10-Nov-04, 07:00

LONDON - 192.com, the free online directory enquiries service, is gearing up for a brand relaunch to take on rivals including Yell.com, Thomson Directories and 118 118.

The company is switching its marketing focus, which until now has been exclusively on the business sector, to target 50% of its promotional activity at consumers. It is currently seeking its first agencies to develop into a mass-market brand.

Jean Parodi, who joined 192.com in June as the company's first marketing director, confirmed that it was looking to work with creative, direct and media agencies on the strategy.

The agencies will be involved in 192.com's biggest consumer marketing campaign to date, which is expected to comprise online, press and radio work.

About 70% of the marketing budget will be spent on direct activity next year.

In September, 192.com hired Emailvision to handle its email customer base of more than 2.5m names.

The appointment intended to capitalise on 192.com's significant consumer database of users who opted to receive its monthly newsletter and related promotions.

In July, 192.com bolstered the efficiency of its retail information by linking with mapping firm Verilocation to offer a location-tracking service. One Dial gives users immediate access to their closest branches in the UK by dialling one number.

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