Annual Report

ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology

The Brief

A blank slate

The communications team at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology (CoESB) approached Wills with an open brief to tackle their next annual report. Dissatisfied with the process and outcome of their previous annual report, they were seeking to elevate the annual report design to bring their important work into focus, properly showcasing the Centre’s purpose and objectives.

The Challenge

Exploring the territory

The Centre conducts fascinating work with engineered microbes; research that aims to enhance sustainable environmental practices in agriculture, food production and manufacturing. Visually, it should be rich territory for annual reports, communications and marketing, however, the CoESB brand palette had limited elements to work with, and the quality of imagery was variable.

The Solution

Leading with boldness

Wills proposed a bold, engaging visual direction for their annual reports. A photo shoot produced close-up imagery with interesting perspectives of their labs and people. Elements from the CoESB band palette were heightened and expanded; a new iconography style was introduced; colours were confidently deployed to showcase sections, page spreads and photography. A landscape format report was introduced with interactive tabs for easy navigation. The resulting report is engaging and contemporary and reflects the Centre’s position as a leading innovator in the field of scientific research.

Cover illustration: Tony Melov