From Crisis to Action

Every year, Corruption Watch (CW), the local chapter of the global anti-corruption movement, Transparency International, publishes an annual report to share with their funders and the public how they are making an impact in the fight against corruption in South Africa. Each report provides an update on CW campaigns, advocacy work, and research findings, and shares stories and experiences of ordinary people exposing the corrupt.

The Covid-19 crisis changed how the organisation worked but did not change its commitment and mission: to ensure that the custodians of public resources act responsibly to advance the interests of the public, and to ensure that opportunities for entering corrupt relationships are reduced. We partnered with CW to create the 2020 annual report, titled \"From Crisis to Action\". We responded to this need and channelled our energy into designing a publication that goes beyond telling literal stories.

We approached things a little differently than usual by using conceptual visuals that are thought-provoking and provide readers with an immersive experience. These graphics make the experience of page browsing enjoyable and compelling. We drew inspiration from the dramatic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world and sought to depict how corruption flourished even under these devastating circumstances in our country. The crux of the project lies within the infographic development. Highlighting both the corruption issues our country faces, and the success stories of the non-governmental organisation were key considerations in creating a design that attracts a wide range of audiences, including whistle-blowers, potential funders, activists, partners, and change-makers.

Expressing this quantifiable information in a clear and impactful way makes the document both visually engaging for the reader and ensures this content is given prominence. We were especially careful with the structure of the statistics and used bold colours to immediately draw the reader’s attention to them. Feedback from this edition has been overwhelmingly positive from the client, their stakeholders, other chapters within the Transparency International network, and the media, and we are grateful and proud to maintain our ongoing partnership with the organisation.