Award-winning corporate publishing: METRO wins ICMA Awards
17 January 2024The METRO annual report and MPULSE have once again made it to the top of the ICMA Awards in important competitions this year. The ICMA provides an annual overview of contemporary graphic design and promotes the exchange of creative ideas at an international level in the corporate media, books, corporate design and magazine segments.
At the 14th ICMA, the international jury of experts assessed a total of 423 entries from 24 countries. The METRO annual report 2021/22 won gold in the 'Annual Reports Online' category, while the METRO print magazine MPULSE won silver in the 'Customer Magazines B2B Print' category. METRO thus achieved a series of successes in 2023: MPULSE was already shortlisted for the PR Award and also won gold at the Best of Content Marketing Award (BCM). The 2021/22 annual report has won gold for best online annual report at the German Stevie Awards this year.
At the ICMA Award, METRO scored with a reworked concept of the print magazine MPULSE, the only group-wide storytelling platform. The jury praised the fact that the content and design of MPULSE is very well tailored to the target groups - from customers and potential customers to journalists and association representatives. The stories were visually excellently prepared with photos, illustrations and infographics. The jury's opinion: The headlines are typographically eye-catching and attract attention and curiosity, as do the compact teasers and striking covers. There is also a perfect rhythm of short and long stories. Conclusion: ‘Overall, a vividly designed magazine that presents its topics in an exciting way.’ Silver for MPULSE!
The METRO online annual report 2021/22 was also convincing across the board. The jury emphasised that the title ‘Here we go!’ already set the decisive accent and made it clear that METRO is a modern, positive company. The experts found the use of animated graphics and videos with statements from the Management Board and the CEO very consistent. The jury also recognised the integration of the content of the annual report and MPULSE. While the annual report communicates goals, plans and figures transparently, MPULSE uses lively storytelling to present these strategic topics in a practical and easy-to-understand way. The jury's verdict: ‘An annual report that is optimally dovetailed with corporate communications in terms of content, design and concept.’