Yellow Pages

Aside from the obvious, such as big and colorful, what Yellow Page ads work best?

People who go to the pages often feel uncertain and vulnerable (think car repair, plumbers, florists etc.) It's important, therefore, to send a reassuring, optimistic message, like "We care," "Our family serving your family," or "Pain Free."

Consumers also don't seem to like much text; they do like interesting images or graphics and an identifiable difference between one company and its competitors.

"People don't like to see pictures of the problem," said Larry Small, director of research for the industry trade group. "If you're selling auto insurance, and you show a wrecked car, people don't like that. What they want to see is a car that looks new, a person smiling because his problem has been taken care of."

My conclusion: Bush will win the election.