Annual Report Case Study: The Co-Operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank had not used an external design agency for its annual report design and production. Working with one point of contact at the bank, this project was a joy to deliver.
All successful projects are a result of working together, client and agency, a mutual respect for our roles and expertise and a clear understanding of the processes involved.
As Navig8 and the client had not worked together before, we held a meeting to establish the process, provide client support (things like word counts and page structures) and establish the scope of the project.
In this case, the annual report was to follow the bank’s styleguide which included font, colour palette and cover templates, but the inside pages, infographics and diagrams were up to us to develop and push the visual language to the next level.
We designed a number of covers, sample spreads and examples of the finance pages and proposed data visualisation. These were sent to the brand team for comment and approval. Then, prior to the content being provided, we set up templates, stylesheets, object styles, etc. Everything was ready to ensure fast and consistent application of the styles. This frees up time for the creative team to set about maximising the design and communication.
The client had an extensive photographic library for us to draw from. We were given access and the responsibility to select images we thought fit to illustrate the content. Illustrating the content is the important point here. The designers and creative director must understand the bank’s sectors, markets and client demographics. In addition, they must read and understand the content to make informed choices when selecting appropriate images. When we identified a content type that needed illustrating but an appropriate image could not be found, we searched and selected appropriate stock imagery, avoiding any clichés or hackneyed images.
We designed a custom set of icons and set about working with the client to draw out important data. We understand that content for annual reports is never final until the very last proof. However, by designing the charts and diagrams and seeking approval for their style, in advance, we were able to update content to produce a first full proof.
Key sections were the business and financial highlights. These needed to be clear, but also engaging and careful consideration was made to ensure the right visual device was chosen to represent the data in the best possible way. Selecting a bar chart, pie chart or line chart can make a big difference to the way the data is perceived.
The bank’s security policy meant that we were unable to use InCopy to provide the client with access to the InDesign files for them to make minor revisions themselves. Not a problem, we dedicated team members to make, and check revisions during the proofing stages. This meant we could turn around revisions typically in a day.
The client diligently followed our processes when supplying content and providing revisions. This is not difficult to do but can get lost when there are multiple stakeholders involved and no clear understanding of the benefits this brings to project delivery.
Communication is key to delivering a stress-free annual report (if such a thing is possible). We held regular Zoom calls to update each other on progress and establish the next steps.
Because of this open and co-operative (no pun intended) relationship, when problems arose or quick turnarounds were needed, we could step in immediately and deliver a solution at breakneck speed.
Working with a new client for the first report is a learning process for both parties. The end result should not only be a report that both parties are proud of, but also provides an opportunity to learn and implement processes for the following year.
We often host an end-of-project review call and chat over what we all could do to make the next year’s project even smoother and push the design values further.
As I said, for the first year working together this was a dream and we are all looking forward to tackling next year’s report.
A select number of spreads can be seen here.