Last week, Fast Company hosted its annual Innovation Festival, which features four days of innovation and insight from influential leaders, innovative companies and creative thinkers working to design the future.
Our very own ]Rebecca Marks, Associate Partner, Client Engagement, attended the conference and is reflecting on some of the ideas that stood out to her as particularly relevant to how we think about creativity, design and what’s next.
Just say no... to “no”
- One of the most memorable ideas came from Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden, who credited part of the company’s recent revival to saying goodbye to the “no-sayers”—the people and layers of bureaucracy that repeatedly shut down ideas before they could go anywhere.
- His point was simple: When an organization has too many people whose default answer is “no,” creativity has a hard time surviving. Making room for ideas sometimes means removing the friction around them.
- This is something that I’ve appreciated about VSA—the willingness to say yes, experiment, and embrace new ways of working and thinking.
Analog design as a digital palette cleanser
- Amid the ongoing conversations around AI and emerging technologies, it was refreshing to discover Radioposter, the company behind the creation of paper books with audio tracks that follow in real time as physical pages are turned.
- Radioposter was recognized by Fast Company for Best Experimental Design of 2026, signaling that there’s always a place—and yearning—for analog media. It’s also a reminder that innovation doesn’t always mean making something more digital or AI driven. There’s power in tactile products and experiences that can bring an element of surprise to something familiar.
Quantum computing is no longer a “someday” conversation
- It was notable to see quantum computing move into the conversation with this marketing and business audience. Rebecca Krauthamer of QuSecure made a complex topic comprehensible with a simple maze analogy, while Julien Camirand Lemyre, CEO of Nord Quantique, made the case for why businesses should start thinking about quantum now.
- Both highlighted the enormous potential: Quantum could help solve problems that today’s computers simply can’t. But that opportunity comes with real cybersecurity implications for businesses.
- The takeaway for marketers: We don’t need to become quantum experts. But just like with AI, we should start building fluency now—understanding how quantum could reshape industries, create new business possibilities, and change the conversations our clients and customers are having.
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