For the third year, creative networking site Working Not Working has released an annual list of the top 50 companies creatives would "kill to work for full-time."
Derived from a survey of Working Not Working members, this year's lineup included 25 companies that made the list for the third time in a row. Those included Airbnb, Google, Apple, 72andSunny, Barton F. Graf, Disney, Droga5, BBDO, Pentagram, Nike and Wieden & Kennedy. Thirteen companies appeared on the list for the first time this year. Among them were Adam & Eve/DDB, Anomaly, Deutsch, Snapchat, Spotify and Stinkdigital. See the full list above and on Working Not Working's blog.
According to Working Not Working co-founder Justin Gignac, this year's survey saw the continuing trend of creatives wanting to work more in tech, media and publishing over traditional agencies. Companies who have been in the headlines, such as Spotify and Snapchat, jumped onto the ranking as well.
Mr. Gignac said the list has grown more international -- with the addition of newcomers including London-based Adam&Eve/DDB and Stranger & Stranger, Vancouver's Giant Ant, Germany's Bureau Mirko Borsche and Stockholm-based Snask and Spotify.
Working Not Working's list debuted in 2014 as a lineup of companies that freelance talents would give up their freedom to work full-time for. Since then, the platform has expanded to include full-timers, so the survey has evolved to represent aspirational companies for all creatives, no matter what their current job attachment status.
Although survey responses showed that the fourth most popular answer was "None/Freelance" -- suggesting it would still take a lot for un-attached creatives to give up their freedom -- 60% of those respondents cited "creative opportunity" as one reason they would consider going full time, followed by "the team" and "company's mission."
Since Working Not Working released last year's list, its community has increased 50%, from 5,000 members to 7,500. Its talent base has expanded from ad agency creatives to other sectors, including production with the addition of directors and editors as well as VR-focused talents.