Brands
AICL to transform annual reports from boring vanilla to interactive
MUMBAI: Annual Reports is just more than numbers, it’s a piece of handiwork through which a company can promote itself, its prospects to its various stakeholders. It is no longer just a compilation of statistics.
And to make them more interactive rather than just plain vanilla, AICL Communications, a full-service strategic communications consultancy, has taken upon itself to change the way one looks at the boring text running over pages and pages.
A recent survey by Burson-Marsteller found that 95 per cent of chief executives in the US believe corporate reporting plays a critical role in achieving key business objectives. To bring that thought and change in India as well, AICL is assisting several Indian corporates in giving shape and character to their annual reports, paving the way for stakeholder groups to understand them better.
The company has big daddies of various categories as its clients. Reliance Industries, Zee, Hindustan Unilever, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IDBI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Group, Hero MotorCorp, to name a few.
AICL Communications CEO Arvind Agrawal says, “Many companies now recognise the significant role an annual report plays in providing a road map of key messages and strategic direction. The role of annual reports has been largely changed by innovations in technology that have broadened access to information. At AICL, we are partnering the best Indian brands to help them create a corporate image among the investor community that is commensurate with their business potential.”
The thought is to add spunk and interactivity in addition to containing relevant information, visuals and imagery. Today, good annual reports are as essential as good advertising for any company. The best practices to create a good annual report according to Agrawal are: data visualization, use of imagery to highlight company’s scale, highlight company’s contribution to people and the planet through its CSR.
“Internet too has changed the way people look at things. We believe that if one can access the annual report online then it becomes very interactive,” says Agrawal while stating the example of HUL, Zee on how such companies have created micro-sites for their annual reports.
“We have immense respect for the work and effort AICL invests to make our reports an interesting read. These reports not only help us gain a leadership position in the minds of current and prospective stakeholders, but also allows us to clearly state our goals and pioneering initiatives in the space we operate in,” added Zeel global head brands Ronald Landers for the company which is in its fifth year of association with the consultancy.
AICL operates in the specialised domain of corporate reporting, with services spanning annual and sustainability reports, internal communication, digital and moving image solutions.
When asked if the company is looking at raising funds from the market, Agarwal pointed out that since it operates in a niche space and has a high profile clientele, the company doesn’t need funds from the market and are self-sufficient at present.
The company’s quest to underscore the importance of reporting has driven it to continuously strive towards innovation in the domain. In doing so, it has built a portfolio of clients which comprise nearly 40 per cent of the BSE Sensex, 30 per cent of the Nifty 50 and three of the eight Indian Fortune 500 companies, besides multiple MNCs and PSUs.
Brands
Mayank Prabhakar elevated to chief media officer at vivo India
After steering media and digital growth, Prabhakar steps into a wider role
MUMBAI: Vivo India has elevated Mayank Prabhakar to the role of chief media officer, marking a new chapter in his journey with the smartphone brand where he has spent over four years shaping its media and digital strategy.
Prabhakar, who earlier served as general manager and head of media and digital marketing, announced the development while reflecting on the opportunity to lead the brand’s storytelling and consumer engagement efforts. “Humbled and honoured to shape stories that inspire, connect and lead,” he noted while sharing the update.
Since joining vivo India in November 2021, Prabhakar has been closely involved in building the company’s media and performance marketing ecosystem, working across growth, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer initiatives. His work has centred on strengthening digital engagement while aligning media strategy with evolving consumer behaviour.
Before moving to vivo India, Prabhakar spent more than six years at Cheil Worldwide, where he held several senior roles including general manager, e-commerce marketing and deputy general manager, digital marketing. During this period, he worked on digital product launches and helped expand e-commerce partnerships with platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart.
Earlier in his career, he held leadership roles such as national vertical head at Times Internet and manager, enterprise business at One97 Communications, where he worked on enterprise mobility, mobile marketing and emerging digital campaign formats.
With nearly two decades of experience across media, digital marketing and mobile-led engagement, Prabhakar now takes on a broader mandate at vivo India as the brand continues to deepen its presence in the country’s competitive smartphone market.
