Annual reports and accounts

Sportingbet

A passion for sport (and numbers).

Founded in 1998, Sportingbet was one of the first, and remains one of the largest, online gaming companies in the world. Its website spans over 30 different markets across Europe, Australia, Canada, Africa and South America. Firedog created the SportingBet annual reports and accounts for three years running. The accounts were presented in both hosted digital and print formats. For each edition we looked to create a unique sporting look and feel. Alongside the great creativity, we ensured a diligent approach to compliance and legal.

The cover of the report shows the Wolverhampton strip and Sportingbet sponsorship - A key promotional part of the brand.
The cover of the report shows the Wolverhampton strip and Sportingbet sponsorship - A key promotional part of the brand.

Annual reports for 2010

This edition looked to explore even more of Sportingbet’s international operations – The creative concept drawing attention to the sum of these many parts. A fascinating aspect of sport across the globe is the trends around which sports are popular amongst sports bettors in their territories. Beyond the global staple of football, we were able to showcase many of the regional preferences utilising a creative concept which captures the local spirit. We combined real Sportingbet imagery, specialist sports imagery and environmental settings in a series of powerful evocative concept images. This was then combined with facts and figures relative to that region.

In Australia - Horseracing is the name of the game. On the left, regional facts and figures add weight to the image concept.
In Australia - Horseracing is the name of the game. On the left, regional facts and figures add weight to the image concept.

The editorial content across the review also tapped into regional trends, painting an overall picture of the groups operations worldwide.

The editorial content across the review also tapped into regional trends, painting an overall picture of the groups operations worldwide. We commissioned a specialist games and betting copywriter to firstly interview key members within the Sportingbet team, and secondly to generate relevant and stimulating copy around the messages for the year. We increased the marketing weight of the report by creating a larger section of content upfront before getting to the detailed figures. The overall message is of a global player steadily on the move. The third in the series of reports is by far the bulkiest and most visually arresting.

 

Ice hockey being big in the Czech Republic led us to create this image. The concept is designed to make the players feel as close to their environment as possible.
Ice hockey being big in the Czech Republic led us to create this image. The concept is designed to make the players feel as close to their environment as possible.

Deliverables included the initial concepts, photo-shoots, messaging, web design and build and finally, print design and production.

Annual reports for 2008 to 2009

When we first met with Sportingbet in 2008, Firedog was tasked with creating an easy-to-navigate, slick, stylish online Annual Report with a supporting print version for the financial year 2007/8. Deliverables included the initial concepts, photo-shoots, messaging, web design and build and finally, print design and production. We then followed up with a 2008/9 report with a new concept around similar content.

The Winning Moments moniker reflects a good year financially for the business.
The Winning Moments moniker reflects a good year financially for the business.

To support the ‘Winning Moments’ concept a photoshoot was organised to produce 5 high-quality images to perfectly illustrate each of 5 key messages.

2007/8 – The ‘Winning Moments’ concept encapsulates the Sportingbet experience for customers and shareholders alike. To support the ‘Winning Moments’ concept a photoshoot was organised to produce 5 high-quality images to perfectly illustrate each of 5 key messages. We then built the online annual report using HTML/CSS technologies. The finished product is a super-slick, impressive articulation of a positive financial year which makes it simple for the shareholders to pinpoint the information they need. Special print techniques were implemented to ensure production costs were kept to a minimum whilst retaining a high-quality feel.

The content produced in the physical report is gracefully transferred to the online environment.
The content produced in the physical report is gracefully transferred to the online environment.
We shot a series of images to illustrate key messages.
We shot a series of images to illustrate key messages.

Firedog produced a concept that pulled out key performance statistics from their year – Rendered in clean and minimal sporting diagrams.

2008/9 – After a good year in tough conditions, Sportingbet wanted to document their progress by looking at what drives them and their business. For their ‘It’s All About Sport’ annual report, Firedog produced a concept that pulled out key performance statistics from their year – Rendered in clean and minimal sporting diagrams. By stripping out anything superfluous, the visual language kept the company’s success – and the sport metaphor – at the forefront. In the online annual report, the diagrams came to life, animating to construct and deconstruct as the user navigates their way through the site.

The subsequent years report contained annual key statistics formed around sporting objects, in chart like styles.
The subsequent years report contained annual key statistics formed around sporting objects, in chart like styles.