Maybe I’m dating myself here, but do you remember back in high school when the annual yearbook came out?

There was a formula to the books. Every class had row after row of headshots. There were portraits of the teachers and office staff.

And, of course, there were the predictable photos of the clubs and sports teams and cheerleading squads, all arranged just perfectly.

But usually, none of those created the excited clusters of kids in the hallways paging through the book in an eager search.

Those little gatherings developed as kids were looking for the candid shots. Did they make the cut? And if they did, what did the photographer capture them doing? That’s what always made each year’s book release such a party.

To be honest, corporate annual reports aren’t much different. There’s a formula to them. There’s the CEO’s report. The posed portraits of senior executives and the board of directors. And don’t forget the financial statements. (more…)