Do I need a cover letter with a sample report?

I have a few industry reports and stock pitches that I am going to be adding to my applications along with my resume. I have run the reports by some alumni in ER and have received positive feedback.

How important is the cover letter to begin with and how important is it when I am also attaching these writing samples? Should I just use a templated cover letter or skip over it entirely? Every alumni tells me they never even look at cover letters.

Many thanks

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