N+S captured the theme "think broadly" through the depth, diversity, and global perspective of The Progressive Corporation's extensive art collection. N+S curated a selection of fine art to be featured in the annual report design, highlighting visual relationships between the work of various artists.
The design recreates the physical experience of viewing the collection in the Progressive offices. This is conveyed through the layout of the printed report as well as in a companion poster, featuring Jeffrey Gibson's artwork, and the dynamic development of the annual report microsite.
At a time when many Progressive employees were working remotely due to nationwide quarantines in response to COVID-19, the poster acted as a unifying print piece that echoed the importance of perseverance in the face of change and the corporation's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity.
The Work
The Progressive Corporation collection features more than 10,000 contemporary artworks, representing more than 2,000 artists from 70 different countries. To capture the depth and diversity of the corporate collection, N+S featured work from 30 artists from around the world in our annual report design to encapsulate the "think broadly" theme.
The artwork A Change is Gonna Come, by contemporary American painter and sculptor Jeffrey Gibson, drove the overall visual design. Gibson's meticulously crafted painting served as the report's cover. It was acquired by Progressive in 2019.
The Results
Fine art, including painting, photography, and sculpture, can be found on nearly every page of this year's annual report. Carefully curated to create visual relationships and emphasize juxtaposition, the artwork illustrates the ways in which competing and even opposing perspectives can exist together.
As you move through the report, you find yourself confronted with close-up details of selected artworks—just to flip the page and discover the work pulled away from you to expose the entire artwork. This layout design mimics the physical experience of viewing art. Just as you would if you were to experience the artwork in one of Progressive's office buildings, you can lean in to inspect the details of a piece and then step back to observe the full scale of the work.
The images are balanced against a color palette pulled from Gibson's artwork and typography, which calls for readers to think, imagine, and grow. The overall effect allows the fixtures of a standard annual report, such as the letter to shareholders and financial highlights, to resonate more purposefully and intentionally with readers. The report itself seems to think in the broadest terms—across artistic disciplines and mediums as well as beyond the bounds of a corporate report.
This year, the annual report design included a separate poster. Folded, it mirrors the cover of the report, but as you open it, you move again from the detailed examination of Gibson's artwork to the whole image. At a time when many Progressive employees were working remotely due to nationwide quarantines in response to COVID-19, the poster acted as a unifying print piece that echoed the importance of perseverance in the face of change and the corporation's commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Every Progressive employee had the opportunity to have the poster delivered to their homes.
The annual report microsite was also designed in support of the theme influenced by the message in Gibson's work, the website design challenges the viewers expectations of how a website should work by swapping the well-traveled vertical axis for the horizontal. This change is intentionally surprising and disorienting, but the thoughtful design solution helps viewers quickly adapt and enjoy the experience.
The dynamic web development creates an overall design experience that brings the "think broadly" theme to life. Images from the collection move away from you as you scroll, allowing an examination of the artwork detail as well as a moment to experience the full piece. Ultimately, the design reinforces Progressive's versatility and overarching commitment to progress while simultaneously creating a novel digital experience.
