Anal report crit
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- madirish0
aside from the fact i was disapointed when i opened it after seeing the title, the first thing i would recomend is keeping the 2 column layout like you have on the CEO page. 3 columns feel thick and are pretty tight.
- eficks0
yeah those guys are great, but its all about the images for everything they do.
- slappy0
Something weird about the way in which the ceo is holding that plane...
How about photos and text on the same page? Seems abit divided.
- eficks0
http://ephix.net/clients/boeing/…
2.1mb
here is the latest version. Better pictures still to come in a few weeks.
- rasko40
I think its not up to much I'm afraid. Basically you are just dropping in copy and images into a grid and damn I really do hope your images are a lot better than those positionals, personally I would rather use a minimal selection of good images than a bunch of crap.
Other than the one pie chart where is the core info that shareholders want to see? You need to start looking pulling out core details and stats and making something interesting from them, they need to stand off the page, what you are creating here is a bible of text that nobody would give a shit about reading. Also, I realise that you are just using dummy copy, but pay more attention to detail and where sub heads start - I certainly wouldn't start a header so near to the bottom of the page.
Is that Boeing's corporate typeface? damn its dated and ugly.
I just dont see that enough attention to detail or will to create something special has gone into this, it looks to me more like you are desperate to fit stuff on pages. More crafting sir! Less template driven layout! Use the type old boy, you can do it!
And why do you want that hideous orange bar device at the top running all the way through? too repetitive!
Think of the purpose of this annual report, they are not really about the shareholders, but more about delivering key info to a very small amount of analysts who will weigh up these figures meticulously before delivering reports that can dramatically affect the companies stock. So you need to sell the high points, and bury the low ones the best you can.
- HumanMale0
Basically you are just dropping in copy and images into a grid...
rasko4
(Nov 18 05, 00:36)Any even then it's not lining up...
- eficks0
ok sorry for not mentioning this, 1st. someone else popped the images in, i will be getting the images in a few weeks, proper professioal ones.
2nd. i didnt want the orange bar going across at all, just once on the headers. i exactly mentioned this too, but they want to keep it.
3rd. why am i not 'pulling out more core details'? easy. the content isn't done yet. all of the text including headers are dummies. whats worse is its being digitally printed. just working with what I have here.
- vespa0
ooh my word forcetwelve those cahan associates annual reports are DELICIOUS!
sorry eficks but that's driza bone ay. i know you must have to negotiate huge company politics but it's part of your job to INSPIRE them! have fun with it! make something that would be a pleasure to read!
and you're right, part of the problem is that you can't pull out interesting facts/bits of copy cos you don't have it, so you need to DEMAND that they give you content so that you can make meaning out of it.
otherwise you will always be apologising for your work, and if you're always apologising then how can you convince anyone that it is right and good?
- rasko40
sorry I didn't want to appear to be tearing you to bits.
I think you need to take control of the job a bit more and this may involve making some pullout points yourself, just shit like "Annual profits up 11.8%" or whatever, it doesn't matter, you could suggest that they take some decent shots of important people in a style yuou suggest, and perhaps there could be quotes over the image, and just make the quotes up!
The fact is that these people are not visual or creative people so they will not think of what to do unless you suggest and visualise it for them - that is your job!
You should be suggesting to them what they should be doing and how to best get across information, otherwise you are basically no more than a acting as a creative artworker.
- eficks0
whats the difference between using lorem ipsum or "Annual profits up 11.8%" at this stage?
- vespa0
i actually think this is indicative of one of the problems designers have across the industry.
too often we see ourselves as mere window dressers* on the receiving end of whatever content the client wishes to foist upon us the day before the print deadline/broadcast transmission date.
But in order to create outstanding, creative work, we need to work harder to understand our clients' strategy, so that we can translate and shape that strategy into meaningful communication.
otherwise we're just polishing turds.
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*actually many of the window dressers in london are outrageously inspirational!
- rasko40
You should be thinking about strategy and what they need to be saying not just "oh this could look nice"
Your client will not be a visual person most likely, Lorem ipsum may not inspire them as to the possibilities.
I would also work on some more tasty looking pie charts/graphs etc
I think you can be more inspired on this project than perhaps you think, annual reports are a challenge but they dont have to be dull
*tho I do appreciate your client is probably a dullard.
- eficks0
actually its not my job to come up with what they are trying to say. I'm working with a communications advisor who is doing content (this can sometimes be the problem with how things should look too, but i'm working on that).
- kelpie0
Rasko's talking about how you interpret and display the content though - talk to the guy and suggest things, then leave it to him to come up with the actual content by all means, but if he hasn't said to you "we need to communicate this on more than a body copy level" then he's not too good, you may have to guide him
- vespa0
haha "dullard", love that word!
some people have it stamped on their foreheads and all over their cheap grey suits don't they? middle management. and they are the ones who desperately want to be shown a better way!
it's so weird, as designers we feel we are so misunderstood because we are always caught in the middle of business, technical and the audience, and we know management don't "get" us, but if you show them something wonderful they will worship you.
they all want to believe in something, so give them something to believe in!
- kelpie0
but if you show them something wonderful they will worship you.
they all want to believe in something, so give them something to believe in!
vespa
(Nov 18 05, 03:38)he he, what's your secret? not the reaction I've experienced I have to say :)
what do you mean "that's cos you're shit" ?!
- rasko40
I think you should try and engage some communication with your communications guy, have some input about visual stimulus concerning vital information, then he can feed back to you core messages and you can work together, maybe just a bit more teamwork will make all the difference.
- eficks0
hmm yeah, hopefully we can work out the content when it comes to that. and the images should play a big role in it too.
cheers.
- tasty0
i would try to work some of the characteristics of the boeing logo into the flat color areas of the other pages.
Set it up on the fold or something, make it interesting. The photos are stale, its up to the graphics to spruce it up a bit.