Code and Theory Receives Ninth Recognition From Fast Company in Two Years; Honored With Three Distinctions in Innovation by Design 2025
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.
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 technology and creative network with a balance of 50% creative and 50% engineers. Our unique makeup makes us the place where CMOs, CTOs and CIOs come together to drive results for their businesses. We partner with our clients to redefine what is possible to create lasting impact and drive long-term growth. Part of Stagwell, Code and Theory offers a global footprint and the capabilities to work across the entirety of the customer-facing journey, implementing the technology that powers it. The network includes the flagship agency Code and Theory as well as Kettle, Instrument, Left Field Labs, Truelogic, Create. Group, Rhythm and Mediacurrent. Code and Theory clients include Amazon, JPMorganChase, Microsoft, NBC, NFL and Yeti. For more, visit codeandtheory.com
