For the fourth consecutive year, Ad Age is highlighting 20 brands, people and services that are having a moment. Popular in the late 2000s, America’s Hottest Brands took an eight-year hiatus before it was revived in 2019. The 2022 iteration debuts today.
This feature is meant to chronicle brands that are currently enjoying buzz, however fleeting that buzz might be. Many of the brands on our list go on to bigger and better things—TikTok was featured on this list three years ago when it was just a nascent social media platform. The trendy brand went on to become a must-have channel for almost all marketers in business today as they strive to connect with younger generations. Unlike Ad Age’s Marketers of the Year feature, which honors sustainable success at scale, America’s Hottest Brands is less focused on sales figures and more focused on chatter.
While many Ad Age franchises such as Leading Women and 40 Under 40 are based on nominations, America’s Hottest Brands’ selection process is not submissions-based. However, companies are welcome to nominate candidates to Ad Age editors. Every spring, our editorial committee meets to discuss brands that would be a fit for the list. This year, we narrowed a pool of candidates pitched by our newsroom down from more than 70 to 20 brands. We try not to run repeats—if a company was honored previously, it is not typically considered a second time.
Looking back on previous honorees, it was clear what was in vogue that year. In 2019, many direct-to-consumer brands, including Everlane, Glossier, Rothy’s and Billie, made the list. So did Baby Shark, the earworm of parents 'round the globe. Many brands featured in 2020, including Drizly, Clorox and Crocs, reflected the pivots and trends caused by the coronavirus pandemic. While some brands, such as TikTok, saw continued success, others had buzz that was short-lived. The Tiger King was honored two years ago, for example, as was John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” show. Brands that had a moment last year included the likes of Dolly Parton, Liquid Death and Pfizer.
The 2022 list of America’s Hottest Brands features a woman who started as a creator but parlayed her internet success into a primetime sitcom airing on network TV. It also features several established brands that have been around for decades but recently revived their offerings for modern audiences using social media tools. This year’s brands come from categories such as beauty and skincare, beverages, fast food, sports and apparel. Readers might not be surprised to see a healthy representation of metaverse marketers as well.
Every year, Ad Age livestreams an America’s Hottest Brands digital conference that features founders and marketing executives from many of the brands on the list. This year’s event will take place on July 12 at 11 a.m. EDT. Speakers will talk about how their brands found success, and offer lessons and advice for other companies who are looking to also make it big. Tune in Tuesday to Ad Age In-Depth: Hottest Brands to learn more.
