This paper undertakes a historical review of the use of design and designers in the annual reports of Burton PLC, against a backdrop of the firm's commercial history. It highlights a subordinate role for design from 1930 until the 1970s, when it was used increasingly to embellish the annual report. Design assumed a very significant role from 1984, when the firm's annual report was transformed into a corporate communications tool. The paper suggests that Burton was among the first British companies to reach this stage, and that it was some ten years behind the generality of U.S. corporations in this regard. Using Burton as an example, the study concludes by proposing that the turning of the annual report into a public relations document has latent disadvantages and by advocating that design briefs in this area should be differently focused.
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An early version of this paper was presented at the Design History Society's Annual Conference at Glasgow School of Art in December 1994. The paper, in its present form, has benefited from the suggestions of Anthony Hopwood. Special thanks are due to Anthony Parsons of the London College of Printing, and also to Peter Higgins, Jonathan Davis and Nick Austin, sometime designers of Burton PLC annual reports, who, without betraying commercial confidences, corroborated and occasionally corrected my interpretations of their work. Thanks are also due to Sampson Tyrrell Ltd and Merchant Corporate Design, for information sent. Burton PLC also gave information and kindly sent copies of some annual reports.