Annual reports becoming marketing tools

Brands are always looking for that new, inspiring way to connect with people; whether it be that amazing advert, viral video or clever copy.

Now brands are utilising the power of annual reports.
At the 2012 Cannes International Festival of Creativity, the judges were put into a child-like frenzy when they were given what appeared to be a plain, white book. But when they took the book outside into the sunlight, it became the annual report for solar energy company Austria Solar. It had been printed on specially treated paper that reacted when exposed to the sun and it's rays.

The Report earned accolades across the awards circuit, and it still does today recently named as a contender for The Design Museum's Design of the Year.

It is not the first time that an annual report has been creatively produced; Croatian agency Bruketa & Zinic has built a reputation on brilliant annual reports for it's longtime clients Adris Group and Podravka. For Adris Group they created an annual report that glows in the dark, another that weighed a lot more than it looked, and most recently one whose pages changed colour and revealed more details when touched. For Podravka, who are the largest food brand in Southeast Europe, they created a report that could not be read until it had been baked in an oven.

Brands and agencies have started to see reports as a new way to generate visibility and interest. By creating these innovative reports they raise brand awareness and can have a positive impact upon their investors, delivering a message of innovation and forward thinking. The trend is towards changing the way that annual reports are delivered and with many appearing online interactive elements are being included such as video, links and rollover text. However, it is still only the brave that break the mould and push the boundaries where finances and investment is involved.