While the disruptions and uncertainty of 2020 only let up slightly this year, numerous brands made efforts to move forward and executed their plans for future success in whatever the new normal looked like for them. And those that have seen the most success in those efforts are the ones strategy is looking to recognize as the 2021 Brands of the Year.

The first signs of a Brand of the Year’s foundational shift could have begun several years ago, continuing into the current year (and setting it up for success in the years to come). It’s often a slow build across different aspects of brand-building, from ad campaigns and new product launches to internal digital transformations and refreshed omnichannel strategies. But, sometimes, it can also be a brand that saw a meteoric rise to become a category disruptor over the last 12 months.

Since these kinds of things take time to develop, 2021 should be considered the pinnacle of the company’s long-term strategy, the year when all the hard work paid off. Positive results, from heightened brand metrics to an elevated market share, should be evident.

If you’re looking for an idea of the standard of excellence entrants should meet, you can read about last year’s Brands of the Year here.

If you work for, or with, a brand that has seen impressive transformational and operational success, you can nominate them for the title in a 500-word case that details how it meets the criteria above.

Submissions can be made here before July 27 and any questions can be sent to Justin Dallaire.

Brands of the Year will be chosen by the editorial team as part of the annual program, which are then profiled in an end-of-year print issue of strategy.