Annual Report the United Health

Annual Report

The United Health Group brand is reasonably good for the health care provider. Many such companies have weak branding. There is good reason for this, because the individual facilities have brands that are recognized by the local community. However, the name United Health Group is strong, clear and concise. This can translate into an effective brand. That said, most consumers are not apt to shop around for UHG facilities -- they choose by the facility, or where their insurance company sends them.

Given that the brand is not going to resonate too much with consumers, the audience for the annual report is mostly the company's investors. The opening of page 1 is clear about that when it announces in giant lettering "Dear Shareholder." The topics contained in the report further illustrate that the annual report is for shareholders, because they focus on matters that shareholders find important. These matters include performance highlights, recent innovations, the leadership team and basic investor information like who the transfer agent is.

The company is reaching the target audience effectively with this annual report. The report is concise, since most investors only need the basic details. The report is glossy and slick, so it serves to catch the eye and deliver a brief synopsis of the business. It should be remembered that the annual report is a complement to the 10-K that the company files with the SEC. The 10-K contains all of the financial information, description of the business and a breakdown of the performance metrics. The Annual Report is more of a marketing piece to convince the shareholders that the company has done well in the past year and will continue to do well in the coming years. That it conveys the ideas with clarity and concision is important -- if more detail is wanted the investors know to look in the 10-K.

The tone is effective as well. The audience has an interest in specific information about the company (financial) but it also wants to feel good about the company. The choice of words, the soft colors and the images of happy people all serve to convey positive impressions about the company. The audience mostly needs to be addressed in the language of money, and the annual report does that.