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addison

WORDS ADD UP TO TRUST FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” The New York Times Company was experiencing declining circulation but faced an amazing opportunity to transform into the most trusted multimedia company in the world. It was the best and worst design assignment too - a dramatic, complex story with only a few pages to tell it on - and a modest budget. The solution was stunningly simple yet captured the direction and future growth for The New York Times Company in several simple words. Each word represents how people interact with media and gather information in this digital age. Each word represents a huge growth opportunity for the company. With the turn of each page, a single word gives reason to believe in the company’s growth: trust. The New York Times, this report reminds everyone, remains the newspaper of record and one of the most trusted source of news in America.

Design Firm: Addison, New York NY and San Francisco CA
Creative Director: Richard Colbourne
Designer: Miho Nishimaniwa
Client Director: Michelle Steg-Faranda

“A challenging economy does not impact the usefulness of a printed annual report, although it may effect the scope of the project or even the motivation to produce one. However, the effectiveness of alternative media with which to disseminate strategies and messages has impacted significantly the role of the annual report. The future of the annual report is becoming increasingly diverse. Some will merge with the Corporate Social Responsibility report, some will migrate to the internet, some will lose their financials to XBRL, some will work as part of a suite of targeted materials, some will be purely marketing driven and some will become an extended MD&A. Undoubtedly, all of them will have a CEO letter. All of them will use the letter to focus readers on the future strategy and vision of the CEO. All of them will use the letter to lend credibility and accountability to the communication. In short, the future of the annual report is as varied as the needs of the companies that publish them.

and partners

VF CORP. TAKES READERS BEHIND THE NUMBERS
VF Corporation-home to The North Face, Wrangler, 7 For All Mankind, Nautica and other premier lifestyle brands-had another outstanding year in 2007, posting its fifth consecutive year of record performance. Yet the company’s stock came under pressure during the second half of 2007, as many analysts predicted that VF would falter in a slower-growth environment, consistent with other apparel and retail stocks.

The annual report, Inside/Out, was designed to challenge that perception by articulating the “threads of excellence” that distinguish VF Corporation from peer group companies. The summary report demonstrates through a series of compelling stories just how different the brands and businesses really are, taking readers “behind the numbers” to reveal that VF’s success in 2007 was anything but fickle or faddish. To reinforce this message, And Partners designed a special six-page section within the report to emphatically lay out our client’s business strategy and specific performance targets for the next five years.

In addition to the printed annual, we also produced an online report that may be viewed at www.vfc.com.

Design Firm: And Partners, NY
Creative Director: David Schimmel
Senior Designer: Brian Crooks
Account Executive: Sarah Hans
Copywriting: Frank Oswald
Executive Portraiture: Richard Frank
Project Management: Kristen Nagy
Printing: Hemlock

“Here are several observations on annual report trends:
(1) financials are no longer a relevant component of an annual report, other than perhaps summary tables.
(2) Companies are all over the map with respect to the narrative… it is easier now to take risks and be more creative since the report is less scrutinized as a financial document.
(3) Online reports are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
(4) Summary books are serving a larger marketing role and are becoming hybrid documents — the annual report becomes a lead corporate brochure, recruiting/ corporate marketing tool.
(5) Emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility reports have become popular — the compelling annual report of 10 years ago is becoming the CSR document.
(6) Unfortunately, the landscape is becoming increasingly bland as many firms opt to place their resources elsewhere; as always, there are small pockets of goodness.
(7) Europe and Asia are producing large, in depth documents with VERY high production values; in general, the US market feels “light” in comparison.

lowercase

DESIGN AS ADVOCACY FOR PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICES
What is Pro Bono? Pro Bono is an attorney sitting at a folding table in a church basement, listening to a client explain how he was served eviction papers. Pro Bono is that attorney accompanying the client to court a few days later and having the eviction dismissed. Pro Bono is helping a woman establish financial independence in a divorce and helping a dad get a workable visitation order. It’s protecting a child’s best interests in a contested guardianship case. Pro Bono is 2,212 volunteer attorneys donating their time to provide free legal services to 17,171 low-income individuals in the Chicago area. This annual report is Chicago Volunteer Legal Service’s primary communication tool for fundraising, recruiting and community awareness.

Design Firm: Lowercase, Chicago IL
Art Direction: Tim Bruce
Design: Tim Bruce, Emily Rawitsch
Photography: Lisa Miller, Tony Armour Photography
Printing: Blanchette Press
www.lowercaseinc.com

“Challenging economies have the great benefit of focusing people more clearly on needs and benefits. Annual reports have been and will continue to be a great communication channel if they are clearly aligned with the needs of an organization. This is true in good times and bad times. If you are choosing to invest in a specific segment of an industry, how do you chose between similar positioned companies? If you are investing in the public good through a non-profit, how do you evaluate which organization will most effectively use your investment? Format, media, impact, style and form are all tools for good designers with their eye clearly on the goal: an effective, successful client. Design is advocacy. “

design army

ILLUSTRATING THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD
The National Mediation Board (NMB), established by the 1934 amendments to the Railway Labor Act of 1926, is an independent agency that performs a central role in facilitating harmonious labor-management relations within two of the nation’s key transportation modes - the railroads and airlines. While at first this does not sound like an exciting design project, in fact, it is one of our favorites.

Over the last five years we have pushed the creative limits of this somewhat limiting subject matter. And while each year the report gets better and better, we face new challenges every season. These normally are the broad variables such as economic factors or industry issues, but the constant ongoing challenge is how do we make the same planes and trains look different and meaningful every year. For the 2007 annual report, it was no exception. We decided early on that we wanted a very different direction and the obvious solution was illustration. However, the difficult question was what style would be appropriate? After reading a few chapters, we noticed a pattern not found in prior reports. The text seemed more mechanical in the way information was being presented, and had an extremely direct tone. This led us to develop technical style illustrations - somewhat similar to styles found in safety brochures that are located in seat pockets - but a much hipper version.

But now that we had such a simple illustration style, we really had to push our design, typography, and colors even further than past years. To do this we embossed the large “NMB” on the heavily typographic cover and, for the inside, focused on cleverly executed charts and graphs to complement the illustrations. It did not stop there; for the finishing we printed with five near fluorescent spot colors throughout and used a stipple finished paper stock for the entire 96 pages of the report. The final result: one very happy client and lots of design awards - a perfect project.

Design Firm: DesignArmy, Washington DC
Project Director: Jake Lefebure
Creative Director: Pum Lefebure
Designer/Illustrator: Taylor Buckholz
Printer: Fannon Fine Printing
www.designarmy.com

“In a challenging economy does the format of the annual report change? Absolutely. At Design Army we love to design odd sized documents just for a little extra wow-factor, but we have noticed this past year few of our clients want to be normal. Some want to be greener and to reduce paper waste by producing the more standard 8½ × 11 document; even though we normally order custom sheet sizes for our projects. Other clients are more concerned about mailing costs and request smaller formats for the lower postage rates. A few have requested larger formats with less pages, printed on lighter paper as self-mailers to gain those postage savings. And then of course we still have our favorite clients who just want the most bang for their buck by finding a size that allows for more pages of design while keeping the print budget the same - or an odd sized document.”

wax

SLOWER MARKET, STRATEGIC MESSAGE
Back in 2005, Anderson Energy chose WAX to help reposition the brand from a private to a public company, and to develop their all-important first annual report. We’ve retained the client ever since, continuing to communicate with their stakeholders through their 2008 annual. For Anderson’s 2006 annual, the creative brief called for a focus on quality of assets, differentiating Anderson’s shallow gas plays from those of competitor companies. By the time we addressed the 2007 annual, a slower market called for a different message. With a design that demonstrates brand consistency with the previous editions, this year’s annual explores how the company’s assets and disciplined strategy delivers long-term results for shareholders.

Design Firm: WAX, Calgary AB
Creative Director: Monique Gamache
Art Director: Jonathan Herman
Writer: Nick Asik, Sebastien Wilcox
Photographer: Justen Lacoursiere
Printer: Blanchette Press

“Annual reports become much more significant during challenging economic times. This is the time when clear communication is valued the most. If an annual report can deliver its message concisely, it can only benefit the company. An economic downturn is an important time to stand out from the crowd. During such times, a company needs to prove that it is thinking differently from its competitors. It is obvious that annual reports are going through a major transition. Investors are going online to download annual reports as PDF’s and it sometimes seems that annuals are viewed on screen more frequently than they are in print. With that said, not all investors have access to online annuals, or they prefer to hold something in their hands. Printed annual reports are still critical. They are tactile. Investors can get a good sense of who a company is by how the book feels.
In the end, the annual report, print or interactive, still stands as a great opportunity to evaluate, revise, and reinforce the communications strategy.”

columbia college chicago

PRESIDENT’S REPORT CAPTURES CULTURE OF CREATIVITY
Columbia College Chicago places great importance on the idea of students’ active participation in their educations: a “hands on, minds on” approach. In our printed materials, we reflect this philosophy by creating pieces that show, rather than tell, the story of the college. For this President’s Report, he wanted a piece that demonstrated the energetic diversity of its students, as well as the “culture of creativity” in which they are immersed - where not only the students and faculty, but also the administrative, professional, and service staff often pursue an artistic practice and are encouraged to participate in the creative life of the college.

The book begins with the line, “We are not here just to have a good time,” addressing head-on the myth that an art school may be less rigorous than a traditional academic institution. A series of yearbook-like portraits of students, faculty, and staff of various ethnicities, ages, etc., introduce the reader to a cross-section of diversity of the college community. More images of students and student artwork help drive the narrative of the book.

Minimal text connects the images, noting the various artistic and academic disciplines the college is known for, and emphasizing the “community” aspect of the college through the ongoing use of the word “we.” The result is a piece that captures the energy and creativity of the institution by showing, simply and sincerely, the faces who come together as a community to create Columbia’s “culture of creativity.”

Creative Director: Mary Forde
Art Director: Guido Mendez
Executive Editor: Markland Lloyd
Editor/Writer: Ann Wiens
Photographers: Charlie Deets, Erika Dufour, Sahyley Hernandez, Sarah McKemie, Terttu Uibopuu

“As the economy tightens, it is increasingly important for the client’s message to be perfectly focused, on point, and delivered with confidence. In the case of higher education - in a publication whose target audience is donors, foundations, and government entities rather than prospective students - we need to convey that our approach to higher education is strategic and progressive, and will continue to build the institution’s reputation in difficult economic times. The internet is an established global center of community as well as a repository of information - therefore our print report must coexist electronically. We believe it is an established best-practice to assure that the content and tone of the print piece are preserved and adapted for other media. At a time when Columbia is coming into its own as a mature institution, the print annual has evolved into a key tool in our development strategy. A successful print version is more critical than ever in supporting our message by providing a substantive intellectual and emotionally visceral experience that electronic media can rarely achieve.”

sibley/peteet design

TSI’S PHILOSOPHY FOR SUCCESS
Tropical Sportwear International has a simple philosophy for success: make a better garment, faster and at a better price than the competition. The job of this year’s annual was to make certain that - if the financial community, current and future shareholders gleaned nothing else - it was certain they would get this message. TSI manufactures the majority of khaki slacks in the U.S., supplying most of the larger department stores with their branded apparel. Volume, scale and finely-tuned systems give the company a distinct competitive edge, and a proven formula to guide day-to-day decision making. This year’s report tells that story.

Design Firm: Sibley/Peteet Design, Austin TX
Art Director, Designer, Graphic Illustrator: Rex Peteet
Illustrator: Peter Kramer
Design Firm: Sibley/Peteet Design
Agency: McGarrah/Jessee

“In the context of a changing economy (and in this case being in a downward trend) the job of the annual report is to let shareholders know what the company is doing about it, how they prepared for it in advance, and what are the long term strategies in place to weather the cycle. In this environment, it is not the time to be needlessly extravagant in concept or production values. In regard to the annual report being distributed cross media, this has been a matter of course for our clients for years, and we have seen some move entirely to an electronic version to conserve dollars. We will likely be seeing more of this, particularly if the economy continues to deteriorate. In addition, even with clients who see and understand the benefits of the printed annual, financials are widely being produced and printed by financial printers, and simply bound into a designed cover and operations section. Even leaner still, some public companies are electing to simply do a 10k wrap (a designed cover wrapping the financial printer's 10k) thereby foregoing the terrific communication and marketing opportunity that the operations section of an annual report offers.”

bruketa&zinicom

PODRAVKA ANNUAL IS WELL DONE
This is an annual report for a food product that has to be baked before use. Podravka is the biggest food company in Central and Eastern Europe. The symbol is the heart and the corporate slogan “Company with a heart.” With this project we wanted to show the relationship of heart, warmth and Podravka. The annual report consists of two parts: (1) a big book containing numbers and the report of an independent auditor, and (2) a small booklet of great recipes inserted inside the big one that expresses the heart of Podravka as a brand. To be able to cook like Podravka, you need to be a precise cook. To make that point, the small Podravka booklet is printed in invisible, thermo-reactive ink. To reveal Podravka’s secrets, you need to cover the small booklet in aluminium foil and bake it at 100 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. If you are not precise, the booklet will burn, just as with any overcooked meal. If you have successfully baked your annual, the empty pages will become filled with text and illustrations. A side benefit of the design was wonderful free media space all over the world.

Agency: Bruketa&Zinicom, Croatia
Creative Director: Davor Bruketa, Nikola Zinic
Art Directors: Davor Bruketa, Nikola Zinic, Imelda Ramovic, Mirel Hadzijusufovic
Copywriters: Davor Bruketa, Nikola Zinic
Typographer: Nikola Djurek
Account Director: Mirna Grzelj
Production: I.B.L. Osijek and Sitopapir Zagreb
Illustrations: Nikola Wolf
Typography: Thema, Lexicon
Project manager: Drenislav Zekic

“The role of annual reports hasn’t changed as much as the annual reports themselves. The future demands new corporate ‘sincerity.’ An annual report can be a serious and truly comprehensive overview of the company’s business or it can be reduced to utterly bare technical reporting of the company’s results. The majority of annual reports are somewhere in between, offering semitransparent information with edited photographs of the Chairman trying to persuade us he is actually handsome. These kinds of reports are completely irrelevant. An annual report has to be made more seriously, so it can be the ambassador of the company, sharing the essence of it.”

cahan & associates

GAP BALANCES SUSTAINABILITY AND ECONOMICS
Previous Social Responsibility Reports from Gap Inc. have established the company as a leader in “ethical sourcing” - ensuring that off-shore garment manufacturing is conducted responsibly for the people and environments involved. For this report, Gap wanted to go beyond disclosure of its practices and results to present the core challenge: how to balance a commitment to sustainability with market demands for low costs, high flexibility and fast turnarounds.

We presented this dilemma in the form of probing questions and invited answers from employees, customers, and objective industry observers. We featured black and white portraits shot on location along with each of their responses. This quickly became quite a challenge for the client to organize along with the copy and data.

Additionally, the design expresses Gap’s challenge in visual form - balancing the fashion images of Gap’s other communications with stark black and white portraits of workers and factories. The thirty comprehensive charts that are featured help to report some of the important statistics on the company’s ongoing efforts to improve their practices. The large format, the newsprint paper stock, and the saddlestitch binding help create a newspaper feeling. And, in keeping with the them, the paper is comprised of 100 percent recycled post-consumer waste, FSC-certified, and manufactured with 100 percent certified renewable, carbon neutral energy.

Design Firm: Cahan & Associates, San Francisco CA
Creative Director: Bill Cahan
Art Director: Bill Cahan, Sharrie Brooks
Designer: Sharrie Brooks
Writer: Thom Elkjer
Photographer: Doug Adesko
Printer: Graphic Press
Project Manager: Bridget Lawrence

“In a challenging economy, the annual report has changed from what was once an opportunity for a company to report their earnings, to recruit their talent, and to showcase their capabilities. Today, it has become a purely financial document. The editorial section has been cut in half and the beautifully designed financial tables and charts have become a 10K wrap. Custom photography has become stock photography and the print runs are small. The online annual report has become more important as well. The specific challenge with the Gap CSR was to make the tabloid-size printed report translate into an 8½” x 11” format PDF for downloading off Gap’s website.”

methodologie

CLARIFYING MISCONCEPTIONS IN TWO LANGUAGES
Univar N.V. is a leading independent distributor of industrial chemicals and provider of related specialty services, operating throughout North America and Europe. This annual report focused on clarifying for the investor community a few of the most common misconceptions related to Univar’s business model. Using clear, concise language and a no-nonsense presentation, the key messages cannot be missed - an approach that earned the report Best in Show and Best Narrative awards from NIRI-Seattle’s annual Investor Communications Awards Gala. With versions in English and Dutch, production of the annual report required very detailed version control to deal with translations, as well as a layout that could accommodate the Dutch text, whose word count was 25 percent longer than the English version. As with running a successful business, producing a successful annual report depends on doing a thousand small things right.

Design Firm: Methodologie, Seattle WA
Account Director: Janet DeDonato
Creative Director: Dale Hart
Designer: Albert Treskin
Photography: Univar archives
Editor: Paula Thurman
Production Artist: Lynn Pasley
Printer: Colorgraphics

“Even when the economy is strong, cutting costs is important. But new regulations and publication methods are allowing companies to save without sacrificing design. Companies are taking advantage of the Notice and Access regulations that started going into effect last January by creating more PDF and online reports, which are big cost savers compared to relying only on large print runs as in years past. Digital on demand printing is another cost-efficient alternative becoming more popular. Although the per-unit cost is often higher with on demand printing, companies don’t have to produce more copies than necessary and need not warehouse unused copies.”

nicholas felton

THE FELTRON 2007 ANNUAL REPORT
For others, the annual report may be for and about business, but to Nicholas Felton its intensely personal.

Nicholas Felton spends much of his time thinking about data, charts and our daily routines. The “Feltron 2007 Annual Report” is the third iteration in a continuing exploration of how to graphically encapsulate a year. It is a collation of numerous personal measurements presented as a rich collection of graphs and maps that describe much of the travel, photography, music, food, drink and reading contained in his year. The printed report is produced in an edition of 2000 copies, and is also available online at www.feltron.com along with the 2006 and 2005 reports.