Diageo

BamberForsyth Fitch (then Bamber Forsyth) produced the Diageo report for the four years after the merger of Guinness and GrandMet in December 1997. ‘There’s consistency in the reports, but they’ve evolved,’ says BamberForsyth Fitch director Nigel Forsyth. They all use a variation of illustrative styles.

The first year was about creating a tone of voice and a style that supported Diageo’s positioning. This annual report introduced the new brand portfolio, and showed hands holding glasses.

This approach continued for the next couple of years, focusing on the company’s brands, by homing in on drinks and food labels.

The most recent document looks at Diageo’s strategy and how it’s more than owning drinks brands. It is about the need states of the consumer and owning the occasion, says Forsyth, and pictures people [consumers] enjoying potential Diageo moments. ‘We have now reduced the impact of the brands and increased awareness of the consumer,’ he adds.

In other words, the imagery has panned from the labels and now uses a wider lens to encapsulate the experience that the brands offer. ‘[The latest report] is not about pushing brands down people’s throats, but is more highbrow and strategic,’ says Forsyth.

The next Diageo report will be designed by Radley Yeldar.