U.S. independent publisher Yellow Book announced a distribution and co-branding deal with Cox Communications in which Yellow Book directories in key Cox markets will carry Cox branding and information on Cox products and services in the front of book. The deal currently involves Yellow Book directories in Providence, R.I., Pensacola, Fla., and Oklahoma City, Okla., but may be extended to other Cox markets in the future. Cox has 6.2 million residential and commercial customers.

“Cox is recognized as a trusted provider of phone services, and Yellow Book is the oldest and largest independent Yellow Pages publisher in the nation — a winning combination to deliver a resource for finding local businesses,” Kristine Faulkner, Cox Business vice president of product development and management, said in a statement. “Cox Business now provides additional value to its voice, data and video customers by equipping them with a powerful way to attract and retain clients.”

This agreement has a simple logic for both companies. Cox, as a competitive telephony provider, benefits from an affiliation with a Yellow Pages publisher. Yellow Book gains a boost to possession and usage of its products through its affiliation with the Cox brand. This deal also helps blur some of the independent-incumbent distinctions, as markets become increasingly competitive in both Yellow Pages and telephony.