The Modern Annual Report to Shareholders does not look like a dreary financial report. Instead, it looks more like a glossy marketing brochure. In fact, annual reports do have a marketing purpose.

Yes, the mandatory financials, notes, and auditor's opinion are all there. These are usually in black and white and small print.  But the "financials " have to sandwich in between many glossy pages with striking images, creative typography, colorful graphs, and artful prose from the Board, CEO and other officers

In response to the non-mandatory gloss, report readers naturally ask: "What are they trying to tell me?" Or, more to the point, "What are they trying to sell me?" And, "Do I buy it?" Read more of this post