Effectively Communicating Impact
People Incorporated wanted to change things up for their 2020 annual report. The goals included:
- Introduce more color
- Rethink the presentation of data
- Develop a theme related to their resiliency and commitment during the COVID-19 shutdown
- Focus on the stories of the people and communities empowered by their services
Thinking Through the Structure
Because we were changing things up this year, we used page break thumbnails to review the structure of the report. These helped us visually organize information and determine the final page count.
We placed key content in high-visibility areas: front cover, inside front cover, middle spread, inside back cover, and back cover. These pages are easily skimmable, and saddle-stitched publications tend to naturally fall open to the middle spread, which makes it an ideal place for important information.
Exploring Themes
The theme for the 2020 report needed to speak to the organization’s resiliency and flexibility during the COVID-19 shutdown. An internal brainstorm produced 16 possible themes. Our team narrowed those down to two favorites:
Different Perspectives
Concept 1 — The Power of People
This concept used:
- Bold titles
- Bright colors
- Transparency interacting with photography and titles
- Large photos
- Calm open space for copy
Concept 2 — Challenges, Changes, Connections for Growth
This concept used:
- A vibrant color palette
- A combination of illustration and photography
- Large photos
- Breathable copy
Planning for Custom Photography
We used stock photography while working on the concept and layout. This allowed us to keep working and provided inspiration for our photographers. Planning lifestyle brand photography during a pandemic presented some scheduling challenges with photographers and our participants. We partnered with four photographers who lived in or could travel to Southwest and Northern Virginia to capture our seven profile stories.
We provided each photographer with sample layouts, art direction, and sample photographs from the first session. This made it easier to match the style. And because we were unable to scout locations ahead of time, our photographers had to be ready for anything.
A Centralized Location for Data
A Multi-Use Publication
People Incorporated’s annual report is an effective communication tool. Each year the CEO provides copies of the report to state legislators to help advance the organization’s legislative priorities. People Incorporated displays copies at various office locations and provides them to funders and other partners. The report gives them the opportunity to share information about who they are as an organization and share success stories from the previous year.
