A common sense annual report for lean times.

• Position: ABA FINANCIAL MARKETING AWARDS: Annual Reports; Asset Size: $500 Million to $1 Billion - Brief article

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Institution: MidSouth Bank, Lafayette, La.

Agency: Graham Group/Pennabaker

The theme for the report was the "Principles of Responsible Banking." The report was about half the size of the bank's previous year's report, and it has no photography.

It was a simple, commonsense annual report, to support the idea of the need for commonsense thinking in banking today.

The guiding principles highlight how MidSouth Bank has always taken this commonsense approach and lists examples of how the bank has done this.

The annual report was written to reinforce the outward marketing effort the bank was taking with a series of more than 15 town hall meetings across the bank's geographic footprint to talk to businesses and consumers about the unfolding financial crisis. The bank discussed its desire to lend money while imparting its views on responsible banking practices.

It was also written to dovetail the message that the bank's CEO, Rusty...