2009 Platinum PR Awards: Annual Reports—Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Fiscal 2008 CBRL Group Inc.

To make the best of a difficult economy, the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store (CBRL) decided to use its 2008 annual report to demonstrate the brand’s strength. Released in the midst the company’s three-year design and communications strategy overhaul, the report centered on Cracker Barrel’s iconic rocking chairs—a symbol of the “pleasing people” mission statement—which sit on the front porch of every store.

To make the rocking chair a consistent theme throughout the report, the team included candid photos of guests enjoying their experiences in the company’s many restaurants and front porches. Then, to enhance the brand’s American spirit, the execs replicated images of 1950s-era metal highway signs to highlight various Cracker Barrel stats, including the number of locations and rocking chairs sold, as well as the tagline “Eat. Shop. Relax.”

The accolades won by the company since the report’s release confirm a job well done: CBRL was chosen for the 18th year as the Best Family Dining Restaurant by Restaurant and Institutions magazine and The Good Sam Club chose it as the Most RV-Friendly Sit-Down Restaurant in America. Plus, CBRL’s stock price increased 12.7%, making it the top performer in its peer group. ■

Honorable Mentions:

Bertelsmann AG: Annual Report 2008—The company made its 2008 annual report completely interactive with a dedicated microsite within its overall corporate Web platform. The report contains screenshots, consolidated financial statements and notes made on various pages in executives’ actual handwriting.

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company: CB&I 2008: Strength in Numbers—The 2008 annual report was available to stakeholders in multiple formats for easy access. Plus, it contained visual highlights of key statistics and factoids to make the content dynamic.

PepsiCo & BCN Communications: We Are Performance With Purpose—The team made PepsiCo’s 2008 interactive annual report mirror the company’s “Performance With Purpose” philosophy, communicating financial highlights and shareholder information alongside descriptions of Pepsi’s philanthropic efforts.

October 26, 2009