Annual report design

A clear and compelling annual report design that revitalised our client’s branding, highlighting a renewed focus on people and the communities they support.

Background

An effective annual report goes beyond just presenting results – it can be one of the most credible ways to get corporate messages and company ethos across, and they’re vital when a company needs to communicate a new business direction. Effective report design can make a significant difference in the audience’s perception of a company. Internally, sharing the company’s annual report with your teams can significantly increase employee engagement levels.

Dee Valley Water – who supplies water to hundreds of thousands of customers in North Wales and North West England – asked us to design an annual report to be shared with their investors in the City.

Challenge

The annual report design had to present the most factual information in a way that highlighted deeply reflective company values. With our client listed in the Stock Exchange, and bound by tight regulations in the financial market, we had to deliver on a specific date with no room for manoeuvre.

Our client would provide us with a large amount of images and data, including regular updates on vital financial information, so we had to ensure seamless management of the constant flow of information.

Solution

In line with the new company vision, we revitalised their branding and presented the information in a way that really signals the shift in the company. The fresh and clean design and bright colours give the report a current feel that supports our client’s vision for the future.

We split the annual report design into two sections: company information and financial reports.

The first section is filled with infographics and fresh photography to help readers navigate through all the information. The second section is clearly laid out to allow investors to focus on the reported data.

One of the main elements of the refreshed design is the inclusion of photography showing staff at work – a clear reflection of the importance the company places on the people that underpin it.

The editorial style images also nod to the people in the communities the company supports.

We carefully selected and tested different types of paper and printing specifications to find the perfect match for our client’s sustainability targets. The paper we chose has an offset, environmental feel to it, and contributes to the annual report being a piece of design that the audience can identify with and wants to own. All this whilst maintaining the highest design standards and tight time management skills.

“Our experience of working with Parker Design was excellent from start to finish.

From the outset, Parker Design were proactive in suggesting design ideas and responded to our requests efficiently, offering a friendly and effective service throughout the process and ensuring that we met our publishing and print deadlines.

We were very pleased with the high-quality end product and received positive feedback on the report from our Board members. We would not hesitate to work with Parker Design again in the future.”