Introducing the most consistent, most creative, most respected brands of the year, as voted for by leading marketers, designers and brand experts.
As 2025 comes to a close, we’ve been wondering: which brands ran the table this year?
To mark the first year of Futures, we asked a hundred of our friends, colleagues, collaborators and contributors for their favourite brands of the year.
The criteria we gave them was about what we value most, the ingredients that we believe make a brand successful: Consistency, creativity, and effectiveness.
As we wrote on the voting form: “These are the brands you love to see, and want to be. They're killing it in campaigns and on social media. Their vibes are unmatched.”
The resulting list is not about stock price or sales figures. It’s about esteem. It’s about finding out which brands are most respected by their peers in the industry, and why.
There were clear favourites, along with unearthed gems and quiet disruptors that our team were delighted to see nominated among the big hitters. But no matter the size or scale, there were clear themes linking the nominated brands.
The brands that ran the table in 2025 found success by leaning into their strengths — be that their heritage, or their subversive nature — not by piggybacking on trends.
Few of the finalists underwent radical rebrands this year — many opting instead for a subtle refresh: small tweaks designed to better serve the audience, and lay the foundation for the future of the brand.
The chosen brands were often radical in other ways: in their restraint, in their transparency, in their purpose. Some rediscovered their mojo, others their sense of humour. Some just kept right on doing what they do best, consistent to the last.
Nearly one hundred brands were nominated. The top 40 are those our team felt most closely aligned with the criteria. These are the brands that were seen, heard, and shared this year.
These are the Frontify 40 (in alphabetical order).
— The Frontify Editorial Team
A24
Entertainment
In an age of streamers and superhero fatigue, A24 has become shorthand for capital-C ‘Cinema’ by investing in new talent and telling unique, impactful stories.
A brand that expresses itself so consistently well, with such imagination, variation and edge. Everything I see from them I love.
Adidas
Apparel
The Three Stripes were everywhere this year, as the brand leaned into community and culture around streetwear, football, and running, recalling their 1980s heyday.
It was incredibly brave to drop "Impossible is Nothing” — "You Got This" is so much better. It's positive and empowering. I love it.
Airbnb
Tech, Travel
Along with adding curated experiences to their offering this year, Airbnb debuted a new 3D animated UI design to help the app feel more “fun and alive.”
Airbnb are true masters of design in the broadest sense of the word — one that includes interaction with the audience on every level.
Aldi
Retail
The German discount grocer has put on a masterclass in 2025, mixing traditional PR with trend-savvy social content that cuts through feeds and competitors alike.
They know how to have fun with their brand, making them likeable and able to move outside of their category.
Anthropic
Tech
From ‘the other AI company’ to a brand with real purpose, Anthropic and it’s Claude AI have stayed human, and found themselves standing in clear space.
In a space where “responsibility” is often a marketing line, Anthropic treats it like a mandate. That’s why they stood out this year.
Apple
Tech
While headlines focused on underwhelming product launches, Liquid Glass proved Apple still set the table for design in 2025. Where they lead, others follow.
Liquid Glass is a huge event in itself. We’ve never seen such a consistent and global design language in the digital space before.
Bandit Running
Apparel
Founded in 2020, Bandit is leading the pack of startups riding the recent running boom, building beyond the hype with community, design-cred, and authenticity.
Bandit appeal to me for their edgier approach to running marketing, but also for the sheer, considered utility in their designs.
Bobbie
Food & Beverage
The female-founded, Mom-led baby formula brand had a breakout year, building community and purpose around helping de-stigmatise bottle and combo feeding.
Bobbie’s campaign featuring Cardi B — along with an incredible cast of influencers and creators — was great. Love this brand.
Bose
Tech
The first name in noise-cancelling got plenty loud in 2025, with a series of product releases and collaborations that placed Bose above the noise.
Jim Mollica has put Bose into the cultural conversation with a slate of collaborations, partnerships, events and incredible creative.
Bottega Veneta
Luxury
The luxury brand underwent a quiet repositioning this year, eschewing bombast; they leaned into craft to define the brand, and let quality do the talking.
In a time of dramatic change in the fashion industry, Bottega’s restraint and clarity have felt unexpectedly radical.
British Airways
Travel
Cool, confident and classy, the airline leaned into their iconography in a series of campaigns that breathed new life into the brand — and ignited a marketing trend.
They continue to push beyond functional advertising. It invites people to think about why they travel, not just where they’re going.
Burberry
Luxury
Under new CEO Joshua Schulman, Burberry is reigniting British luxury through heritage-driven storytelling and star-studded campaigns.
Burberry’s new direction feels like a reclamation, positioning the brand back where it belongs.
Cash App
Finance
Cash App elevates social payments into culture, combining real swagger with a higher purpose: bringing financial inclusivity to a digital-first generation.
Their Instagram has a proper sense of craft, curation, and expression, a counterpoint to the lazy memes we see everyone else trying.
Electronic Arts
Entertainment
Gaming giant EA levelled up this year, evolving from publisher to entertainment brand with an ambitious identity designed to scale across games, films, and TV.
EA’s recent rebrand built a dimensional world around their iconic geometric shapes and IP—a natural fit for gaming and entertainment.
Ffern
Personal Care
The UK-based artisanal perfumer is rewriting the playbook for fragrance brands with organic ingredients, limited seasonal drops, and social-first storytelling.
Delightful, story-driven — a revelation when it comes to fragrance marketing, typically one of the dullest categories out there.
Gentle Monster
Apparel
From cinematic campaign films to video games, Gentle Monster aren’t just creating iconic frames — they’re bringing drama to an entire category.
They’ve continued to build one of the most compelling brand worlds in the mainstream. Not just campaigns, but a full creative universe.
Heinz
Food & Beverage
Heinz proved that they don’t need to slather it on to cut through, leaning into both iconography and nostalgia for a campaign that showed the power of consistency.
The brand turns 'it has to be Heinz' on its head and places the product as the hero brand asset. Effortlessly reductive branding.
Hims
Health & Wellness
Hims has built a warm, human brand that defines a category, supporting male health without embarrassing anyone or relying on masculine design tropes.
Their capacity to build for scale without sacrificing craft is incredible.
IKEA
Retail
The furniture giant showed big, blue bags of personality this year, leveraging their iconic tote to mark an unforgettable Oxford Street debut.
IKEA’s work this year has been incredibly clean, from the Oxford Street blue bag takeover to emotion-driven storytelling.
Jacquemus
Luxury
The French luxury brand built momentum this year with a series of self-aware campaigns that continue to delight fans and shake up a self-serious industry.
Consistency drives creativity, and they hit it over and over.
Loewe
Luxury
Loewe kept momentum this year by crafting socials as expertly as their garments, and collaborating with On Running and the Albers Foundation.
As a luxury brand, they started to talk to everyone while keeping their aspirational positioning.
Marks & Spencer
Apparel, Food & Beverage
M&S learned how to go viral in 2025, embracing fast fashion, social trends and girl dinners to boost visibility with a new generation.
A new fashion director, editorial floor layouts and picky bits — everyone is buying and talking about them all of a sudden.
Monzo
Finance
Monzo continues to rewrite the banking rules, not just redefining what financial apps can be, but, as their 2025 campaign demonstrated, redefining money itself.
Their brand is so consistently on point. Plus, their product lives up to the brand — reliable and customer-centric.
mud
Pet care
London-based mud puts its founder’s Uncommon pedigree to good use, with a brand that brings elevated ingredients and design to our four-legged friends.
A great piece of branding, bringing truth and honesty back to a category full of fluff.
Nike
Apparel
New CEO, new Swoosh? Nike turned their fortunes around this year and won back the faithful with a mix of reinvigorated attitude and revolutionary tech.
Always producing great-looking gear. Their campaigns are consistently creative and progressive, just like Nike Run.
Nothing
Tech
Fueled by a dedicated community and a no-bullshit approach, perennial disruptors Nothing are reigniting the joy of playful discovery in tech.
Their launches feel like fashion drops; their tone blends rebellion and playfulness. It’s Apple-level storytelling for a new generation.
Oasis
Entertainment
Noel and Liam reunited, and brought their friends Adidas, Burberry, Berghaus, Paul Smith, and Man City along, owning the moment and creating a movement.
With practically no ad spend or media activity, they tapped into the nation’s zeitgeist and made grown men and women cry with joy.
On Running
Apparel
On has been surging thanks to missteps by more established rivals, but also due to an inclusive sensibility, elevated styling, and consistent execution.
The “SOFT WINS” campaign is a perfect example of how On continues to push boundaries, not just in marketing, but in their entire mission.
OpenAI
Tech
Brand lagged behind hype at OpenAI, but as it emerged over the past year, it did so in style, with their considered refresh exuding confidence and control.
The company managed to keep its brand both human and visionary, leading the public conversation on where AI is headed next.
Oura
Tech
Discreet and stylish, Oura led the way for wearables this year thanks to celebrity endorsements and a growing health tracking trend among young women.
‘Give Us The Finger’ hits on two powerful trends, ‘Aspirational Aging’ and longevity, and puts high-end wearables at the center.
Poppi
Food & Beverage
In a category that has all but flattened out the fun, Poppi have managed to make their cans cut through with bold designs, vibrant colours and cool artist collabs.
They know how to stand out. In a sector where all kinds of branding have been done, they still manage to look distinct.
Puresport
Health & Wellness
With elite sporting pedigree and scientific backing, Puresport are fuelling the wellness movement with natural ingredients and a dedication to performance.
They use pop-ups and activations to meet runners and wellness-seekers in person, creating memorable moments.
Ramp
Tech
Ramp proved B2B doesn’t have to be boring-2-boring, with a viral live-stream that rode millennial nostalgia to bring buzz to the spend management platform.
B2B campaigning done right - distinctive, fun, and expectation-defying.
Represent
Apparel
The British label have built their reputation around community, authenticity and craftsmanship, growing a global brand while staying true to their origins.
Represent has defined what it means to build community as a brand, with a dedicated, cult-like following that feels authentic.
Rhode
Personal Care
Hailey Bieber’s Rhode is the new cool girl on the block, meeting the audience and the moment with understated looks, social fluency and affordable luxury appeal.
Their simple yet effective identity is a minimalist's dream — the epitome of branding so good you want to buy it.
Skims
Apparel
SKIMS’ unique blend of star-power and savvy marketing continues to reshape the fashion industry and capture the attention of consumers worldwide.
The collaborations with Roberto Cavalli, Post Malone, and Nike were best-in-class examples of design, marketing, and strategy.
Spotify
Tech
Despite the furore around AI-generated music, Spotify’s innovative use of data, including the now-iconic Wrapped, continues to engage audiences emotionally.
From its ever-influential Cannes Beach presence to year-round storytelling through data, Spotify proved it sets the tempo for brands.
The Ordinary
Personal Care
Ordinary yet never dull, the skincare brand built trust with their radical approach to marketing: demolishing industry norms and cutting through the bullshit.
They've decided to take the place of a whistleblower brand in a crowded and established category.
Walmart
Retail
Walmart demonstrated the power of a refresh in 2025, with a considered, mature evolution that subtly repositioned them for the future, without damaging trust.
Walmart’s 2025 brand refresh shows the scale of what a refresh can involve beyond a ‘logo swap.’
Zohran for New York City
Politics
The campaign won hearts and minds with lo-fi branding that recalls hand-painted signage, a plea for the future of the city expressed with the language of its past.
There's a lot to love in the branding. But it was the consistency of voice and messaging that played a huge role in his victory, too.