JP Morgan Pensions Education Interactive CDROM

This was truly excellent. An innovative approach to pensions education and planning that manages to be both light-hearted and thought-provoking at the same time. I could imagine that it was well-received and performed well.

Mind you, I nearly switched [off] with the video of the trustee – although his message had to be there, he is not a natural performer. At least the idea of a cartoon TV set helped.

But once you get through this the whole presentation gets much better. Who would have thought of using tennis to talk about pensions?

The cartoons were excellent, even if the characters do look a little like Tweenies. The information contained is very complex and works well when presented in this format. I also liked the CD-ROM's ability to explain what terms meant – such as "Final Remuneration" – even though I couldn't actually understand it once it was explained to me!

The presentation ran quickly from the CD and there was no jerkiness. The layout was excellent and the video buttons at the bottom of the screen very useful and very accessible.

In all then, an excellent example of how multimedia can be used to turn the most boring subject around. Well done.

BAT UK Pension Scheme "FYI" Magazine

The cover design of For Your Information is particularly striking, with bold and courageous use of photography throughout the publication. This applies whether the photos are for illustration or used much smaller, for information. The design shows innovation, in the contents page, which reproduces mini-visuals of the later pages of the magazine.

Effective use of standfirsts and items in large type help to draw skim readers into the text. The design works well with the content, dramatically using photos of a man surfing down a wave and eggs to draw on financial symbolism without being clichéd. Typography is clear, particularly on the information setting, helping to make the content accessible across the broad spectrum of the audience.

The watchword for the design is clarity, and this has to be applauded, given the enduring sensitivity of pension funds. The accounts information is set out particularly clearly, especially the graphical display of types of member.

FYI presents a highly professional image upon the organisation, and thoroughly deserves to get such positive feedback from its audience. FYI is a strong contender in this class, which was particularly competitive this year.

European Communicators in Business Awards: Judges Comments