What makes a great brand? Is it superior technology, forward-thinking leadership, overwhelming investor backing, viral social buzz, an innovative product, or a combination of all of the above? Whatever it is that distinguishes a great brand, smart business leaders and MBA students can study their secrets and learn from their successes. Here is a look at the brands to watch in 2015.

Warby Parker

Of the thousands of participants in the eCommerce market, Warby Parker is one of the brands that has not simply avoided standard startup pitfalls, but actually emerged as an outstanding name. This five-year-old company is valued at over 1.2 billion and is widely considered the most popular online eye wear retailer. Not only that, but their 10 brick-and-mortar stores have sales-per-square-foot numbers that would make some ultra-luxe brands blush. The four Wharton classmates who founded the company credit its incredible success to innovative services such as the free try-at-home program that ships new frames to a customer’s home to try on before committing to a purchase.

Adobe Systems

Although Adobe was founded back in 1982, it is still a top contender for the brands to watch in 2015. This is largely due to the company’s revamped focus on cloud services and improvements to their subscription model. Instead of simply updating their original graphics software each year, like Photoshop, Adobe works to be ahead of their time by creating new products and technologies that expand their reach as a digital software company.

At a time when most of the world is becoming more aware and conscious of our environmental impact, Adobe Systems is capitalizing on their “green” potential and focusing on how to better preserve natural resources. The company was ranked as the fifth greenest company in the world in 2015, according to Newsweek. Considering our increasing dependence on digital software, Adobe is primed to stay at the top of the market this year and many more years to come given their innovative approach to the field.

Alibaba

Jack Ma, Alibaba’s revolutionary corporate executive, was surely vindicated in his vision for the company when his 2014 IPO generated $25 billion. The Chinese company has taken on the country’s biggest industries; Alipay, its Internet financial venture, took on the state-run banking industry and earned over $80 billion in deposits its first year. The company’s acclaimed corporate culture boasts a commitment to transparency, flattened corporate hierarchy, and tight family unity.

Tesla Motors

IHS, an international information and business insight company, calls Tesla a case study in disruptive innovation, challenging the standards and traditions of the 100-year-old auto making culture. Chief Product Architect Elon Musk upended e-commerce in the 1990s with PayPal, and his successes continue. The design innovations in the company’s wildly successful launch of the completely redesigned S model, its flagship car, are sure to keep Tesla on top in 2015.

Line

This Japanese social media company launched in 2011 and currently boasts over 180 million active users per month. The messaging app is so popular in Japan that young people are more likely to give out their Line IDs than their phone numbers. One of the most popular features is the “Sticker Shop,” that has users sending over 1 billion stickers a day. Line is leveraging their branded characters into a $737 million revenue machine by selling games, apparel, and paid sticker packs. The company is preparing to launch an IPO and focus more heavily on the U.S. market in the future.

Business leaders who want to make a difference can take a page from these brands’ playbooks to learn new ways to succeed in a competitive market.