A different take on the annual report: bringing numbers to life!

Year after year, no expense or effort is spared to present a company's balance sheet and financial results in the best possible light. However, the scope of the data presented is virtually limitless, and it is often difficult for the casual observer to quickly find and grasp the most important insights. In addition, figures per se do not attract much attention—unless their development gives cause to do so.

However, more and more companies are recognizing the figures as an opportunity to break new ground and are slowly beginning to look beyond the printed version of their annual report. The solution: the annual report video.

This allows the most important key figures of a fiscal year to be communicated in a very clear, striking and condensed manner. The options for use are diverse and range from the annual general meeting and social media to press conferences and the company's own website.

In our practice, we have already implemented annual report videos for a number of companies, but these are often subject to a wide variety of requirements. Below are some cases that we consider exemplary.

In our video format developed for Lufthansa AG, we present the current traffic figures for the entire group on a monthly basis. For this purpose, we developed a master video in a vector style that complies with the corporate identity. For each key figure, we designed a suitable scene in which the respective number comes into its own. Smooth animated transitions and frequent scene changes create a pleasant dynamic without distracting from the figures. The video is used in a variety of ways and is, for example, an integral part of press relations, where it is regularly distributed via Twitter. But anyone passing through the reception area of the Lufthansa Aviation Center in Frankfurt am Main will also encounter the video on large screens, keeping them constantly informed of the latest key figures and their development.

Our creative team faced a completely different challenge with the annual report video of Energiedienst Holding AG from Laufenburg in Switzerland.

The utility company, which specializes in sustainable energies, wanted to present the key figures of its annual report in a correspondingly sustainable way. For this purpose, we developed an individual and very elaborate video format, in which mainly handmade techniques were used - from livescribble to stop trick. Here, too, our thoughts revolved around staging each figure in a way that was as unseen and surprising as possible.

The result is a one-minute video with a lot of detail and a lot of humanity, despite the many figures and technical topics. The video was used as part of the annual general meeting and as a fixed component of the company website and caused a great stir in both channels.

As you can see, even with a rather bulky annual report and seemingly endless figures, there are numerous creative possibilities. Are you also thinking about a more creative staging of your annual report? Then we'll be happy to advise you and find an individual, creative solution together.