Yackety Yack editors try to resurrect UNC's yearbook

The University’s yearbook is getting a makeover.

The Yackety Yack is undergoing a rebranding plan that includes a distinct logo and a stepped-up social media movement in hopes of reviving the yearbook’s faltering sales, the publication’s leaders said.

“Some people associate yearbooks with high school,” said senior Breanne Crumpton, the Yack’s business editor.

“We want to take the Yack and elevate it to be not just about the year but about the Carolina experience as a whole. We want to let the book capture what it means to be a Tar Heel and show our Carolina pride for years to come.”

The Yack experienced a drop in sales during the 2010-11 calendar year when the book only sold about 400 copies. The yearbook costs $107.75 with tax and is published through Herff Jones.

“Our sales have declined in past years,” Crumpton said.

“Many factors played into this decline including staff turnover and switching publishers, but we are looking to sell more in the future.”

But those 400 sold yearbooks have not yet been delivered.

Senior Waverly Lynch, the editor-in-chief, was thrown into the top role after former Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Hertz was asked to step down by the Yack’s board last October when the 2010-11 edition was not published due to mismanagement.

Lynch remains positive about the Yack’s progress and said the 2011-12 books will be distributed as soon as all patrons receive their 2010-11 books from the publisher.

Lynch said she is excited about the new style and direction of the 2012-13 yearbook, which will have the theme “Hark the Sound.”

“We moved away from a photojournalistic annual by including text,” Lynch said.

“This is a big change. We are even working toward full captions with individual names included — a hefty feat for such a large undergraduate body.”

Hannah Peterson, the Yack’s photography co-editor, said the staff is growing, and she remains optimistic about the publication’s future.

“The entire staff works very well together,” said Peterson, who oversees the 18 staff photographers.

“This past Monday night we did a team-building activity where each team had to build the tallest freestanding tower out of spaghetti, tape and marshmallows.”

The staff meets every Monday night in the Student Union to keep updated on the progress of the book and to check in on individual staff assignments.

“The growth of our staff has allowed us to do more with the book,” Crumpton said. “Most of the staff is first-year students, so it is great to have their energy and excitement about being part of our Carolina family.”

Contact the desk editor at university@dailytarheel.com.