Stagwell’s digital transformation network was recognized in the Advertising and Marketing category for building the infrastructure that turns AI ambition into business transformation.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 24, 2026 / Code and Theory, the digital transformation network within Stagwell (NASDAQ:STGW), has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2026, the second consecutive year the company has earned the distinction. Code and Theory was recognized in the Advertising and Marketing category alongside Google, Nvidia, Adidas and Walmart.
The recognition arrives at a decisive moment. AI has moved from conversation to infrastructure, and the gap between companies that are genuinely restructuring around it and those still piloting around the edges is becoming visible. Code and Theory has spent the past year not just advising clients on AI strategy, but building the systems that make AI-driven marketing and experience work at scale.
Central to that work is The Machine, the industry’s first agentic marketing operating system, built by Code and Theory in conjunction with Stagwell. The Machine connects people, data and tools to drive better outcomes. What differentiates The Machine is that it works in our clients’ tools and on top of their stack to maximize adoption and interoperability. It enables organizations to move at AI speed without surrendering the brand judgment and human instinct that make experiences worth having.
Over the past year, some of the most complex organizations in the world have looked to Code and Theory, leveraging its differentiated balance of 50% engineers and 50% creatives to solve some of the industry’s toughest challenges, including:
TIME to reimagine its digital flagship and reignite a 100+ year-old media brand.
Amazon to inspire and convert millions of small businesses through a global Amazon Ads campaign.
Henry Schein to reinvent healthcare commerce at global scale.
Microsoft to reimagine how it engages with developers and earns their trust.
Stanley Black & Decker to lead a global digital transformation across 30+ brands and 55+ markets.
NFL to build a connected digital ecosystem across broadcast, social, web, app and stadium experiences.
This recognition extends a historic run of industry validation. In the past two years alone, Code and Theory has received 15 top honors from Adweek, Ad Age, the ANA, Campaign, Digiday, The Drum and the Shorty Awards, including Adweek’s inaugural Innovation Agency of the Year and taking No. 5 spot on Ad Age’s 2026 A-List.
