For this study, I was assigned to create an annual or sustainability report for the 2024 fiscal year of a company of my choice, focusing on honing my skills in brand adherence and typography.
I chose to create an annual report* on Ocean Wise, as I have a deep admiration for the ocean, and nonprofit organizations like them for their continuous efforts in restoring biodiversity and the health of the ocean. I decided to take this opportunity to also research and learn more about their initiatives.
*this is best described as an impact or sustainability report, but Ocean Wise uses "annual reports."
I based the body of my report on my research on their current initiatives and reports that they have released in their fiscal year 2024, including new developments that sprang up during my design process. I collated the overall trend in their actions throughout the year, and read through their previous annual reports. This is in order to understand their progression from the previous years, to see the overall trend of their growth in the current fiscal year, and to lock in the theme for this annual report.
Choosing the Theme
The theme I chose was: “Sailing with the Tides We’ve Turned”
Inspired by the saying reaping what (one) has sewn, I saw 2024 as their breakthrough year in many aspects. In almost every single initiative they have started, whether before or in 2024, they have achieved progress or a milestone, such as their breakthroughs in their use of eDNA to watch over the health of whales, and the milestones hit in their seaforestation initiative.
Inspired by the saying reaping what (one) has sewn, I saw 2024 as their breakthrough year in many aspects. In almost every single initiative they have started, whether before or in 2024, they have achieved progress or a milestone, such as their breakthroughs in their use of eDNA to watch over the health of whales, and the milestones hit in their seaforestation initiative.
This is thanks to their preparations and recovery from the previous years, after being forced to adapt to unexpected changes & challenges due to the pandemic, where they have been developing strategies and releasing plans (such as the Decade to Turn the Tide), which led them to their success in this fiscal year.
Throughout my design process, I stuck to the foundations of the project. I stayed faithful to their official Brand Guidelines, and to the tone of the theme “Sailing with the Tides We’ve Turned:” from my file setup in Adobe InDesign, to my choices in imagery, down to the specifics in typography & logo usage.
In areas of design not specified by the Brand Guideline, I searched for previous publications, such as other annual reports and research reports, as reference for the designs previously approved by the organization. If I couldn’t find any reference, I allowed some creative freedom in certain details for legibility, making sure to adhere to any rules put down by the guidelines
Designing the Graph
I created the graph based on the information in their official Whale Blitz 2024 Report, to supplement the section with observable data, while bringing in the theme “Sailing with the Tides We’ve Turned” through the visual design of the graph.
Designing the Infographic
I placed the infographic in a section that I understood would need the most context, since there is scientific method & context that needs to be described in order to appreciate the depth of Ocean Wise’s findings. I designed the infographic to have movement like a wave, decorated with Ocean Wise’s official graphics and supplementary details, while maintaining readability to consider the spacing between text and the binding for the printed piece.
Designing the Table
For the table, I designed this to have a balance of legibility, professionalism, and a touch of optimism, following the theming of the report. I studied the design of financial tables in similar reports and followed a similar formatting.
Designing Annual General Meeting Collateral
With an annual report comes an Annual General Meeting (AGM). I designed a postcard to act as an invite for shareholders of Ocean Wise, and the freebies that will be distributed during the AGM.
I based my choice of freebies on the Lunchbox Challenge launched by Ocean Wise in 2023. Even though this challenge is no longer continued, I wanted the freebies to serve as a reminder to the participants of the AGM that ocean conservation is not a one-time action, but instead a continuous effort where we adapt our daily lives with better habits for the benefit of the ocean, such as reducing plastic waste by using reusable lunch containers. The containers are decorated with the beautiful illustrations provided by Ocean Wise.
Reflection
This was a very successful, fruitful, and exciting project for the whole way through. It pushed me to balance between being an ambitious designer and a brand-faithful designer – being too ambitious meant I stopped designing to benefit the corporate communications of the company, yet being too brand-faithful meant I was only focusing on structure and habit, which can stifle creativity.
That was alongside designing with the audience of the report in mind, understanding what they would need to better understand the goals and achievements in the company, and how I can help visually “spice” up the report while balancing it with professionalism. I feel like I successfully managed these balances, and really learned a lot as a designer, in understanding what I need to consider in a more corporate environment.
