Inside Fast Company Innovation Festival 2025

This month, I joined leaders and innovators in New York for the Fast Company Innovation Festival. The big takeaway? Even while brands are racing to experiment and implement new technology like AI, they are reinvesting in their core by putting people and communities back at the centre.

While the pressure is still on to look ahead, innovate and adopt new technologies, leaders today are also looking back and learning lessons in how technology for technology’s sake has made for a worse customer experience. The brands making the greatest impact are doing both: focusing on human connection, community, and authenticity while using technology to enhance, predict, and optimise those valuable human interactions.

Here are my takeaways for brands looking to stay ahead:

Community-driven engagement beats pure tech innovation
The most successful brands focus on genuine community needs rather than flashy technology. Duolingo's success came from addressing real language learning needs, while experiential brands thrive when they prioritise emotional connection over technological spectacle.

Human-centered design as a competitive advantage
In an era dominated by mobile and AI, brands that double down on human experiences stand out. Starbucks' "Back to Starbucks" strategy is focusing on restoring craft, investing in the barista relationship, and creating a rewarding coffeehouse experience.

Vulnerability and transparency build trust
For years, Brené Brown has coached the C-suite across Fortune 50 firms and one theme that comes up time and again in her research and coaching: leaders who demonstrate vulnerability create stronger organisational cultures. Similarly, brands that are honest about their challenges and authentic in their communications build deeper customer relationships.

Conversation-based brand personality development
Duolingo's "unhinged owl" persona emerged organically from user behaviour and feedback, following an interactive approach to brand development. It’s a testament to developing memorable brand personalities naturally through ongoing conversation with an audience, and earning permission to keep pushing the envelope.

Experience design drives emotional ROI
In addition to financial returns, brands must focus on "return on emotion." Experiential brands succeed when they start with emotional connection – whether it's Real Madrid's immersive fan experiences or Meta's usage-occasion-based retail design.

Customer-first approach to operations
Great brand experiences depend on flawless execution. For Starbucks, fulfilling the ‘third place’ promise meant first fixing basics like seating, condiment bars, and flow – simple, common sense improvements that returned to fundamental customer needs rather than chasing trends.

Collective action problems require movement-building action
Individual brands can’t solve broad societal issues alone. As Jonathan Haidt's work on phone-free schools demonstrates, meaningful change requires coordinated movements. Successful brands increasingly need to explore partnerships and coalitions that can benefit them, their categories, and communities.

While the world is inundated with tech innovation, it’s important for brands to remember that breaking through means using technology to enhance, not overshadow, the human experience – building meaningful connections and real value for the communities they serve.

Brian Meyers, Executive Strategy Director