Ambulance Oost is a company based in the Netherlands, providing help in the event of accidents or acute health problems.
At first glance, their 2019 report may look a bit too bright, but on turning the pages of this slim booklet, the reader may find information that is not text heavy and therefore, can be digested easily. The sunny colours used are those of the company logo, and these are the only colours used throughout.
Diagonal lines used through the report might seem random, but are meant to resemble the lines painted on their ambulances. Illustrations are straightforward – minimal, with a clear message on each page. Graphics of cityscapes and neighbourhoods resemble the broad extent of services offered in both urban and rural communities. Data representation is clear, with a combination of pie charts and bar charts, while numbers are large and easy to read.
The facts and figures section has a pulse rate icon as though to say “information in a heartbeat”. Page 7 provides figures in detail, comparing the quality of services between 2018 and 2019. On the next two pages, an interesting visual of a blood transfusion bag and two band-aids resembling a butterfly, highlight the ambulance care section. This illustration communicates a sense of assurance (despite the anxiety that comes with a health emergency).
Pages 10 and 11 give the reader a closer look at company operations. The illustrations of the three ambulances work sequentially, when you looks carefully at the lights perched on each vehicle. The company has been transparent with even the smallest details, like the speed and efficiency of their services, as seen on page 15 where location and time data are displayed.
Iconography plays a major role in communication throughout the report. On pages 16-17 for example, readers are shown a breakdown of patients – each group represented by an icon. Again, the symbol of the pulse rate is seen, as though to resemble the importance of each life they are called to assist.
The idea that every life matters is a message this report conveys clearly, concisely and consistently.
