Yearbooks Go High Tech with Jostens Personal Yearbook Pages™

It was only a matter of time before school yearbooks went digital. Well, that time is now. Jostens, a leading provider of world-renowned yearbook products, programs and services is introducing what they are calling Personal Yearbook Pages™. Through a new application students can now create a more inclusive yearbook by

“giving every student the ability to create personalized pages that will appear exclusively in the student’s copy of the yearbook. Personal Yearbook Pages’ online user experience lets students design four unique pages with their own photos, artwork and text. What’s more, student’s can invite friends to collaborate on the design of one or more pages.”

To do this, students log into www.yearbookyourself.com and upload their own pictures. To make it simple, photos can be retrieved from personal Facebook® or Flickr® accounts. It is worth noting that a total of just four pages can be created and inserted after four special autograph pages and all of these are at the back of the student’s yearbook.

Personally I’m a bit mixed about this idea. On the one hand Yearbooks are a great keepsake from our youth, and there is something neat about being able to customize it. At the same time I like the idea of all the students having the same book and then “customizing” it with signatures and messages. But as I wrote at the start… it was only a matter of time and the time has come.

The full release follows…

Oh, and just for fun… why not pull your old yearbook out and share the quote you chose to put beneath your picture?!?!

Jostens Personal Yearbook Pages™ Redefines Yearbooks With Customization and Social Collaboration

Innovative online yearbook app allows every student to make their individual memories a lasting part of their school’s yearbook

Minneapolis, MN – August 24, 2010 – Jostens, a leading provider of world-renowned yearbook products, programs and services, today introduced Personal Yearbook Pages™, a revolutionary new application that creates a more inclusive yearbook by giving every student the ability to create personalized pages that will appear exclusively in the student’s copy of the yearbook. Personal Yearbook Pages’ online user experience lets students design four unique pages with their own photos, artwork and text. What’s more, student’s can invite friends to collaborate on the design of one or more pages.

Web Uploading

The Personal Yearbook Pages experience begins by simply logging on to www.yearbookyourself.com and uploading all of your favorite pictures taken throughout the year whether it is school shots or even moments captured from your free time. Photos can even be retrieved from your personal Facebook® or Flickr® account. A total of four pages can be created and inserted after four special autograph pages at the back of the student’s yearbook.

Customization and Collaboration

You can customize elements of each page, including your photos, the color and the font, and even create your own layout and background all in one domain. With the “share” feature, friends can easily login to participate in the creation of your exclusive pages. Once all pages include your favorite photos, art, quotes, etc, they are sewn into your yearbook and can then be enjoyed the moment they are delivered to your school. Because you design your own pages, you have the opportunity to add more to your yearbook to tell your personal story.

“Personal Yearbook Pages reflects the convergence of technology, innovation and tradition and allows everyone to get involved in capturing all of their important memories from throughout the year,” said Julie Fitzgerald, Director Yearbook Marketing, Jostens. “This fresh, high-tech service will definitely change the way all students participate in the traditional yearbook experience.”

Availability

Personal Yearbook Pages are available now at participating Jostens Personal Yearbook Pages schools throughout North America for only $15.00. Jostens will be rolling out Personal Yearbook Pages in a number of additional schools in the months to come. For more information visit www.yearbookyourself.com.

About Jostens

Minneapolis-based Jostens is a provider of products, programs and services that help people tell their stories, celebrate important traditions and recognize achievements. The Company’s products include school yearbooks and other memory book products, scholastic products such as class rings and graduation products, and products for athletic champions and their fans. Jostens is a subsidiary of Visant Corporation, a marketing and publishing services enterprise servicing the school affinity, direct marketing, fragrance and cosmetics sampling and educational and trade publishing segments.