Code and Theory Honored by Fast Company With Three Distinctions in Innovation by Design Over Two Years

Recognition of Code and Theory's Achievements

Recognized for the NBC Big Board, NFL app and as a Design Company of the Year, the agency reinforces its position as one of the industry’s most consistently celebrated creative and technology partners.

NEW YORK - Code and Theory, part of Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW), continues its streak of industry-leading recognition with three distinctions in Fast Company’s 2025 Innovation by Design Awards for NBC’s Big Board, the NFL app and as a Design Company of the Year. These accolades mark the agency’s ninth Fast Company recognition in just two years, reinforcing its position as a creative and technology partner consistently delivering award-winning solutions with measurable business impact.

Showcasing Wins in Innovation

This year’s wins showcase Code and Theory’s ability to tackle complex, high-stakes challenges with creativity and technology:

  • NBC's Big Board transformed election coverage into a trusted, real-time experience capable of handling over 10 million data points from 16,000 jurisdictions, powering MSNBC to record-breaking viewership
  • The NFL app was reimagined as a personalized, video-first hub for NFL+, driving 2.3 billion minutes streamed in 2024.
  • Recognition as a Design Company of the Year underscores a through line in Code and Theory’s work: designing customer-first experiences that deliver measurable business impact at scale.

The agency’s success is backed by a history of Fast Company honors. Earlier this year, Code and Theory was named to Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list in Design and Teamwork. The agency was also a Finalist for YETI’s Map the Gaps, with an Honorable Mention in UX Design (2024), and the 2023 Winner for Best in Marketing for YETI’s Year in Preview, and another Honorable Mention in Design Company of the Year (2023). These honors reflect a proven formula for winning: pairing creativity with engineering to create outstanding digital customer experiences.

This week, Code and Theory was, for the first time, named to Forrester’s Commerce Services Landscape, Q3 2025, reflecting its role in shaping the future of commerce and helping leaders identify partners capable of delivering measurable outcomes in a rapidly evolving environment.

Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company, says: “The Innovation by Design Awards celebrate bold ideas and work that proves design is a true driver of business and societal progress. This year’s honorees show how creative thinking can unlock new markets, build stronger organizations and deliver meaningful impact at scale.”

Dan Gardner, co-founder of Code and Theory, says: “When technology and design focus on real human needs, it drives outcomes that matter, reshaping how people experience news, sports and culture. Fast Company’s recognition is proof that putting CX first leads to successful business outcomes.”

About Fast Company

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.

About the Code and Theory Network

The Code and Theory Network is the only network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers at scale. The technology and creative network within Stagwell Group is built to experience change for businesses that need to navigate the complexity of changing consumer behaviors, emerging technologies and AI. With a global footprint and the capabilities to work across the entire consumer journey, we crave the hardest problems to solve. The network includes the flagship agency Code and Theory as well as Kettle, instrument, Left Field Labs, Mediacurrent, Rhythm and Truelogic. Code and Theory clients include Amazon, Apple, JPMorgan Chase, Mayo Clinic, Microsoft, NFL, Pfizer and Yeti.

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newbiz@codeandtheory.com

Code and Theory is a proud member of Stagwell Group. Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world’s most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com

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