The results are in when it comes to innovation.
Fast Company released their 2018 list of “Most Innovative Companies” this week. The project takes a look at some of the most memorable campaigns of 2017, and how companies used new technology to make an impact across business and culture.
The annual project, curated by the Fast Company staff, typically takes a snapshot of the top 50 companies who went above and beyond. This year, the team also broke up the companies by sector, to take a closer look at how similar companies innovated in different ways.
The big players are hardly a surprise. Apple and Netflix top the list, with Amazon and Spotify not too far behind. Patagonia make a huge splash last year with their “The President Stole Your Land” campaign, which put the brand in the spotlight as they took a social stand. And CVS made strides in healthcare with its innovative use of AI, coupled with a more customer-centric approach.
Here’s a closer look:
The top 10
Apple
Netflix
Square
Tencent
Amazon
Patagonia
CVS Health
The Washington Post
Spotify
The NBA
For those that dominated in the marketing and advertising category, the focus of their successes revolved around three things: branding, storytelling, and social media. Here’s a snapshot of some of the notable names in the marketing and advertising category:
Top 10 marketing and advertising
Wieden + Kennedy: The longstanding advertising agency broke into experimenting with VR this year, helping KFC create an immersive training experience. They’re also being hailed for their work with Nike’s “Breaking2” campaign, which featured multiple working parts – including a full-length documentary.
Adidas: The sneaker brand went digital this with the launch of their “All Day,” app in Summer 2017. The app allows users to track their fitness. Their dedicated website provides users with a portal to discover healthy recipes and other wellness advice.
Yeti: The outdoor equipment company was honored for their strides in branded content and use of video.
Forsman & Bodenfors: This advertising agency was honored for their bold moves in marketing, when they decided to list the entire country of Sweden on Airbnb.
Frito-Lay: The snack food brand went above and beyond with their experiential play last year by opening up a pop-up Cheetos museum and accompanying fine-dining restaurant in NYC. Delicious.
Collectively: The influencer marketing agency was noted for leaving a good impression – well, more like 1.2 billion impressions through more than 150 unique marketing campaigns in 2017.
You can check out the full list here.
