Baker Recognized as “Top Annual Report Agency of the Year”
Brand Consultancy Wins Top Honors in LACP Vision Awards
Santa Monica, CA (June 28, 2004) — Baker, an integrated communications firm, announced today that it has won “Top Annual Report Agency of the Year” honors out of a pool of more than 300 candidates in the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) 2003 Vision Awards Annual Report Competition.
Baker submitted five annual reports to the LACP and all five were recognized. Baker won the top awards in the Healthcare Management and Financial-Money Center Banks category, receiving the Platinum Awards for its 2003 WellPoint annual report and 2003 IndyMac Bank report. CKE Restaurants and Qualcomm annuals won Gold for their respective categories. Baker also received a Bronze Award in the Pharmaceutical category for its Cephalon annual.
Four of the five annuals entered — WellPoint, IndyMac Bank, CKE and Qualcomm — ranked in the Top 100 annual reports of the year as judged by the LACP. Over 1,200 annuals were entered into this year’s Vision Awards competition. The judging was based on the following criteria; first impression, report cover, letter to shareholders, report narrative, report financials, creativity, message clarity and information accessibility.
“We’re honored to receive this recognition of our hard work, especially from fellow communications professionals,” said Gary Baker, President and Executive Creative Director. “We’ve created hundreds of annual reports in the last 20 years. And while we’ve won many awards, our goal remains to express our clients’ stories in fresh and compelling ways that will differentiate them within the investment community. We are always looking to uncover and articulate what is special about our clients. The awards we’ve received from many national business and design organizations speak to just how successful we’ve been,” Baker added.
The League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) is an organization that encourages excellence in the practice of communications for all organizations. It is the League’s goal to help facilitate best-in-class practices in communications and recognize those who demonstrate exemplary communications behaviors. For more information go to: www.lacp.com/2003vision/topagency.htm
WellPoint Health Networks (NYSE: WLP)
WellPoint serves over 13.4 million medical members and over 49 million specialty members nationwide through Blue Cross of CA, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of GA, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MO, HealthLink and UNICARE. Visit www.wellpoint.com for more information.
IndyMac Bank (NYSE: NDE)
With $9.5 billion in assets, IndyMac Bank (a subsidiary of IndyMac Bancorp, Inc.) is ranked as the 21st largest mortgage lender in the nation and is the 18th largest savings & loan nationwide. Visit www.indymacbank.com for more information.
Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM)
Qualcomm is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on the Company’s CDMA digital technology. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Qualcomm is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2003 FORTUNE 500 company. Visit www.qualcomm.com for more information.
CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR)
Through its subsidiaries, CKE is the proud owner, operator and franchiser of 3,222 quick-service and fast-casual restaurants, including 1,016 Carl’s Jr.® and 2,081 Hardee’s® restaurants and 106 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill® restaurants. CKE Restaurants, Inc.’s brands can be found in 44 states domestically and in 14 countries worldwide. In fiscal year 2003, ended January 27, 2003, CKE Restaurants, Inc. reported nearly $3.0 billion in annual system-wide sales. Visit www.ckr.com for more information.
Cephalon, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEPH)
Cephalon is an international biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and marketing of innovative products to treat sleep and neurological disorders, cancer and pain. The company currently markets three proprietary products in the United States: PROVIGIL, GABITRIL, ACTIQ and more than 20 products internationally. Full prescribing information on its U.S. products is available at www.cephalon.com.
About Baker | Brand Communications
Baker is a corporate brand consultancy and communications design firm. For nearly 25 years we’ve been helping corporations achieve their business objectives and market potential through strategically grounded, creatively driven communications. Baker’s award-winning strategists, writers, designers and dedicated account teams draw upon proven methodologies and offer clients a superior level of service. Our comprehensive communications services include brand strategy and development, identity systems and naming, corporate communications, annual reports, marketing communications, interactive, video/media and brand management.
Gary Baker
President & Executive Creative Director
800.939.5008 x308
g.baker@bakerbrand.com