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Out of the Box: Transforming the Annual Report

National Retail Federation

The retail industry has entered a transformational era. Consumers demand and retailers aim to provideexperiences, not just purchases.

In planning for and executing its 2018 annual report, the National Retail Federation (NRF) wanted to embrace this industry-wide evolution and explain the association's impact in a revitalized way.

Adfero understood that user experience plays a critical role in creating and maintaining an engaged audience. Everything retailers do today needs to be done through the lens of the consumer, and user experience plays a meaningful role in succeeding on that front. Motivated by the idea that annual reports do not have to be predictable, Adfero took that same approach to an annual report and proposed a play on a customized subscription box that would place NRF at the forefront of the industry's transformation towards consumer-centered thinking.

The “subscription box” model visually propelled NRF’s brand and message forward. In developing the box’s design and contents, Adfero applied a sophisticated user experience approach, paying meticulous attention to every detail of the subscription box—from how a user would lift an information booklet out of its holder to the dimensions of the give-away tote bag.

Through a tangible and memorable experience, Adfero positioned NRF as a leader of positive change in the retail industry—and, most importantly, as a dedicated advocate for improving the retail landscape for member companies. By thinking outside of the box (literally), Adfero engaged NRF’s audience, including board members and CEOs from large retailers, with an informative and interactive process that defied the expectations of the average annual report.