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From 1965 to 1989

1967 Cover PaginegialleNovember 1965 marked a decisive turning point in the sales policy of the Company.
The new introductory plan of PagineGialle laid down that the category directory would be removed from the single directory and be published as a stand-alone volume.
In 1966, the advertising campaign was launched to promote PagineGialle as an effective method of advertising, with the objective of giving the alphabetical section the role of telephone information only, and to concentrate paid advertisements in the new PagineGialle directories.
  
At the end of the 1960s, SEAT implemented an IBM 360/40 system and conducted phototypesetting experiments to overcome the limitations of the traditional printing techniques that were no longer appropriate to its development. These technical tests would continue experimentally into December 1968 and would crystallise in the Aosta edition in 1969, published using phototypesetting in the new four-column 28 x 24.5 cm format.
Beginning with the 1969 edition of the Milan directory, SEAT began to publish all of its directories in the new format, which was also characterised by more columns per page and by a greater emphasis on the telephone number. Phototypesetting would soon completely replace the outdated hot lead typesetting system.
 
1972 Cover The 1970s also marked an important and comprehensive organisational streamlining that included the Central Divisions of Administration, Sales and Information System and a new regional organisation with six regional offices, four agencies, a sub-agency and two Delivery offices.
One of the biggest innovations introduced was use of blue ink in PagineGialle, which made the directory easier to read and consult and enhanced the effectiveness of the advertising. Furthermore, with the expansion of the phototypesetting process to PagineGialle, SEAT became a ground-breaking innovator in terms of technology. Finally, as regards publishing, for the cities of Milan and Rome, SEAT published two PagineGialle volumes differentiated by the telephone service subscription: thus, the "Business Edition" and "Home Edition" were born. A review of the directory areas soon boosted the number of volumes from 45 to 56. A new advertising campaign was then designed to promote the introduction of colour and the new editions of PagineGialle Casa and Lavoro.
The 1970s also ended under the banner of another important innovation: in 1978, SEAT introduced "Galfra". The new font type was the result of research conducted and the experience accrued at SEAT. Galfra was especially designed to optimise the readability of small text and began to be used in all SEAT’s alphabetical and category directories.
 
1983 Cover with TuttocittàAt the start of the 1980s, the topographic maps included in PagineGialle were enhanced with colour, rotogravure printing, general use information, in addition to advertising. In 1981, SEAT decided to remove these maps from the directory and the result was “TuttoCittà”. TuttoCittà provided readers with information on city services previously contained in the general information section. In PagineGialle, red ink replaced blue and was offered to advertisers to highlight their brand including in the text advertising entries. In the alphabetical directory, however, the layout of the cover page was innovated, upgrading to a dark grey background but retaining the images of works of art.
In addition to the graphic changes, the company diversified its offer by providing export businesses a useful directory specifically designed for them — Europages. The need to expand the pool of users and offer new opportunities to advertisers was fulfilled by SEAT printing the first Annuario Italia-USA in 1987 which contained a listing of some 20,000 Italian export companies.
 
Sarin (Società servizi ausiliari e ricerca informatica) was formed in October 1980, a company wholly-owned by SEAT which focused on research and development of products and information services suited to the new opportunities offered by the technological evolution, in addition to management of possible support and service activities.
 
In 1982, the “personalised marketing information” service allowed SEAT to create databases (DB) and develop new products: the DB on telecommunications and similar sciences, the Superstat DB, and the DB on businesses, all with advanced levels of interactivity, represented SEAT’s earliest foray into this area and at the same time, were the origin of PagineGialle Elettroniche (Electronic PagineGialle) and later, the online version of PagineGialle.
The Videotel sector provided market and technical research activities as well as consulting services for a considerable number of participants in the experimental phase of the new service.
 
In addition to PagineGialle Elettroniche, Sarin also developed other initiatives: personalised services for direct marketing, new telematic services in the area of tourism, creation of an early prototype of Videodisco and many other innovations in auxiliary and related areas.
 
At the beginning of 1985, SEAT entered into agreements with IBM and Olivetti for the sale of software packages and connections with PagineGialle Elettroniche combined with the sale of personal computers. Similar agreements were also stipulated with Italtel, with the “Omega 1000” terminal, and Sip. In 1986, the most important innovations in the company included acquisition of a shareholding in Praxis Calcolo, an IT sector company; formation of Optimes in partnership with DuPont Optical and PhilipsItalia, new agreements with Cetesa; formation of Euredit, a French company for the management of Europages in partnership with Od’A, Office D’Annonce, and DPR, Deutsche Postreklame, and formation of the “Consorzio Annuari Internazionali Seat-Italcable” for publication of the Annuario Italia-Usa.
 
In March 1987, SEAT signed an agreement with Olivetti and Microsoft to set up a new company involved in development of software applications on optical discs. Also in 1987, SEAT partnered with Olivetti, Espresso and Arnoldo Mondadori Editore to form Edel S.p.A., an electronic publishing company, and with Olivetti and Microsoft in a 50:50 joint venture to set up Eikon S.p.A, which operates in the sector of optical disc software applications. Finally, SEAT acquired a 10% stake in Laserdrive, an American subsidiary company of Olivetti, which operates in the area of research, production and sales and marketing of peripheral computer equipment based on optical technology.
 
The diversification process of SEAT continued in 1988 when the Telematic Division was established.
This division pursued the objective of transforming PagineGialle Elettroniche from a telematic means which promoted the sale and purchase process, to a complete transaction service.
Alliances were also forged to create and distribute new databases with Alitalia, Finsiel, and the Turistel consortium in the area of tourism, with CISL for databases on employment contracts, with Cerved, the the e-money sector consortium, with SIPE Optimation, Banche Dati in the legal sector, with the RAI television broadcaster, in addition to partnerships in the electronic publishing sector.
With implementation of the "Iltone" project, SEAT began to seek out new graphic solutions that were implemented beginning with the PagineGialle Rome edition of 1988. Two-colour printing allowed SEAT to adopt new creative solutions for PagineGialle advertisers, which soon paved the way for SEAT to enter the world of four-colour printing.
 

Main facts

• 1966
Launch of Pagine Gialle, with a highly-positive impact on revenues and profits

• end of 1986
Seat is merged in and becomes a division of STET

Last Update: Thu 31 Jul 2008 | 09:32 AM