Now with established in-house creative teams, many brands are pushing the boundaries with their creative work. From Verizon crafting campaigns in-game activations to fashion houses, like Gucci and Balenciaga, leading the fashion industry’s exploration into Web3 and virtual world activations, household brands across the world are crafting high-quality creative work and new retail experiences with digital. 

The 4th Annual Webby Global Brands Index is a roundup of the five companies, brands— across products, retail, consumer goods and more—that are creating the best digital work in the world. Ranked in order, the index highlights the media publishers with the most success in the 26th Annual Webby Awards, across wins, nominations and honors. Additionally, we’ve highlighted a few pieces of work by each company. created the year’s best, and most innovative storytelling. These five companies are redefining what it means to make great digital work.

BY THE NUMBERS: 

• Netflix led the competition, with 3 wins, 9 nominations and 8 honors in the 26th Annual Webby Awards 
• Social series and advertising campaigns are reaching new audiences for entertainment and education, with Netflix’s “We the People” and Trixie Cosmetics’ “Office Tour (WARNING: ICONIC)” as prime examples 
• Brands of multiple sizes received recognition in the 26th Annual Webby Awards. Their recognition shows that companies, robust powerhouses or tight start-ups, are able to make it big in The Webby Awards. The only requirement is to great work. 

BEHIND THE RANKS:

1. Netflix

One of the world’s leading streaming services, Netflix boasts 223 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. Netflix is far from its days as a mail-based rental service; its portfolio includes television series documentaries, feature films, mobile games, and supporting content made by the world’s best artists. 

In line with efforts to build more editorial around programming, Netflix was honored for standout project I Like To Watch, their video series in which drag queens Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova react to Netflix Original Shows. They were also honored for We The People, an animated children’s program that promotes civic engagement. See some of their work below.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• We the People
  2022 Winner for Animation (Series & Channels) in Video 
• Big Mouth Season 4
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Animation in Video
• I Like To Watch
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Arts & Entertainment in Social
• Inclusion Takes Root at Netflix
  2022 Nominee for Diversity & Inclusion in Social
• Okay, Now Listen
  2022 Nominee for Best Live Podcast Recording in Podcasts 
• Geeked Week
  2022 Nominee for Events & Livestreams in Social
• Netflix Queue
  2022 Nominee for Best Photography & Design in Social 
• Love That For Us: The Series
  2022 Nominee for Television & Film Series and Campaigns in Social

View their full list of Webby Award-winning work here.

BEHIND THE RANKS:

2. Verizon

Founded at the start of a new millennium, Verizon is one of the largest communication technology companies in the world. For five years, they’ve been hard at work developing its in-house creative capabilities through the Verizon Creative Marketing Group. 

They created Unfolding Timbaland in support of its launch for the Samsung Galaxy Z series. The Creative Marketing Group used machine learning to teach an AI bot Timbaland’s greatest hits, as well as how to interpolate them. The experience was recognized three times in the 26th Annual Webby Awards. Verizon also won a Webby Award for the immersive documentary 9/12: The Untold Story of Reconnecting New York. See their award-winning projects below.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• 9/12: The Untold Story of Reconnecting New York
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Best Individual Editorial Feature in Websites and Mobile Sites
  2022 Winner for Best Mobile Visual Design in Websites and Mobile Sites 
• Unfolding Timbaland
  2022 Nominee for Technical Achievement in Video
  2022 Nominee for Best Music Supervision in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Honoree for Real-Time Response Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR

BEHIND THE RANKS:

3. Visit Norway

Visit Norway is the country’s official travel guide, created by Innovation Norway and supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. Their mission is to make it easy to choose Norway as a travel destination and to promote sustainable tourism. They produce entertaining and unique digital marketing to achieve both goals. 

Projects that saw huge success in the 26th Annual Webby Awards were its social campaign, 13,000 Reasons to Visit Northern Norway, and Where is Will?. The latter caught the Internet’s attention by entering the conversation around General Motors’ Super Bowl ad with Will Ferrell, which shone a bright light on Norway. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• 13,000 Reasons to Visit Northern Norway
  2022 Winner for Tourism & Leisure in Advertising, Media & PR
  2022 Nominee for Social Media Campaign in Advertising, Media & PR 
• Where is Will?
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Tourism & Leisure in Advertising, Media & PR
• The Relation Equation
  2022 Nominee for Sports Series & Campaigns in Social 
• Norway Lights
  2022 Honoree for Best Homepage in Websites and Mobile Sites

BEHIND THE RANKS:

4. MasterClass

Headquartered in San Francisco, MasterClass is an online learning platform that is on a mission to unlock human potential by inspiring a learning lifestyle in everyone. They currently have over 150 online courses for learners, hosted by the world’s best instructors and pioneers. 

Last season, MasterClass received a Webby Award and People’s Voice Award for its namesake service. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• MasterClass App
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Education & Reference in Apps and Software
  2022 Nominee for Education in Websites and Mobile Sites 

BEHIND THE RANKS:

5. Bobbie | Trixie Cosmetics (Two-way tie) 

Bobbie is the only woman-founded and mother-led infant formula company in the U.S. Co-founders Sarah Hardy and Laura Modi have shifted the parenthood conversation from how we feed infants to what we feed. To do that, their team of food scientists, medical experts and operators create infant formula that is nutritious and accessible. During the 26th Annual Webby Awards, they were honored for the “How is Feeding Going?” campaign. Its goal was too normalize feeding journeys parents face, and broaden the conversation. 

Trixie Cosmetics was founded by drag superstar Trixie Mattel, and is all about providing pro-level cosmetic products in vibrant, fun packaging. Their products are formulated based on Trixie’s experiences as both a makeup artist and drag queen. Last season, the beauty brand was recognized for their social video “Office Tour (WARNING: ICONIC)”

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

Bobbie

• How is Feeding Going?
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Culture & Lifestyle in Social 

Trixie Cosmetics

• Office Tour (WARNING: ICONIC)
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Variety & Reality in Video 

Read the Full Series

This is part of the 2022 Webby Industry Index series, which ranks companies with the highest-performing work in the 26th Annual Webby Awards. Read the full series for insights into the year’s best agencies, brands, game creators, media companies, podcast companies, production companies and tech companies.

Show that you’re the best at telling brand stories, like those honored in the 2022 Webby Agency Index. To join their ranks, enter the 27th Annual Webby Awards before the Final Entry Deadline on Friday, December 16th.