Trader Pubs, the Canadian shopper publisher of AutoTrader.ca and assorted other titles acquired by YPG last year, is seeking synergies between the companies that add usage and extend advertiser relationships in both directions, according to Genevieve LeBrun, a longtime YPG exec who became Trader’s VP of Marketing last June. LeBrun keynoted Kelsey’s Directory Driven Commerce show in Reston, VA.
“Our common vision is to find the best seller for each buyer,” noted LeBrun. One course of action is to bundle distribution of custom products. For instance, Trader “seasonal guides” are being distributed with YPG’s Yellow Pages in 30 markets. The ads for the guides are being sold by YPG sales forces.
Another area of synergy is to extend Auto Trader relationships beyond car sales by bundling in Yellow Pages content. LeBrun cited “insurance,” “new tires” and “mechanics” as categories that have a natural Yellow Pages tie-in.
Another area of synergy is to raise the profile of Trader’s various publications. A recent campaign that ran across Canada (apparently with YPG?) has revitalized the small publications and raised awareness by seven percent, she said.
While such natural synergies will continue to be explored, there are natural limits to the integration of the shopper and Yellow Pages products, largely because of the weekly publication of the shopper titles, which creates different buyer and seller behavior. Aside from the custom products, such as the seasonal guides, the sales forces will continue to be run separately.
But LeBrun said that YPG is learning from its experience with Trader, and intrigued by the ability of shopper pubs to convert users into advertisers. Twenty percent of the sellers have been active users, she noted.