Dazed Studio is expanding its strategic consulting capabilities with the launch of a dedicated U.S. Brand & Cultural Strategy Division, marking a new phase of growth for the culture and creative agency. The U.S. division will be led by Izzy Farmiloe in her new role as Global Head of Strategy & Growth. Further bolstering the division are Lindsey Okubo, Associate Director, Brand & Narrative strategy, and Yilin Ye, Junior Researcher, Culture & Innovation.
The expansion reflects increasing client demand for upstream strategic thinking alongside creative execution. Brands are increasingly seeking partners that can help them navigate rapidly evolving cultural landscapes and identify emerging opportunities before they enter the mainstream. Building on Dazed Studio’s long-standing reputation for storytelling, creative direction, and cultural insight, the new division formalizes a growing strategic offering that spans cultural intelligence, narrative development, audience insight, and growth strategy. Alongside the expansion of its cultural consultancy offering, Dazed Studio’s North American team has more than tripled in size since launching in 2024.
Izzy will be working across both London and New York to support Dazed Studio’s continued international growth and deepen relationships with North American partners. With more than 15 years of experience spanning brand strategy and management, Farmiloe has spent the last seven years at Dazed Media, rising from Senior Creative Strategist to global leadership. She will report directly to Jamie Knowles, Managing Director, North America.
“Brands today need more than visibility. In a landscape where culture moves faster than ever and communities shape trends from the ground up, they need cultural relevance, a clear narrative and a deeper understanding of audience behaviour. Increasingly, they need strategic partners who are embedded within culture, not simply observing it,” said Farmiloe. “With Dazed Studio Insights, we’re combining strategic consultancy, cultural intelligence and Dazed’s editorial expertise to help partners spot opportunities before they become trends, make better decisions and build lasting relevance in a rapidly changing world.”
Supporting the division are two new strategic hires:
Lindsey Okubo joins as Associate Director, Brand & Narrative Strategy, focused on shaping brand positioning, narrative systems and strategic storytelling across global client projects.
Yilin Ye joins as Junior Researcher, Culture & Innovation, strengthening the agency’s ability to identify emerging cultural behaviours, communities and signals shaping the future of consumer engagement. Okubo and Ye will report directly to Farmiloe.
The launch builds on continued momentum for Dazed Studio in North America, where the agency has established long-term partnerships with brands including Nike, Hinge, Spotify, Cash App, Lenovo and Smirnoff, while experiencing growing demand for strategic consulting services alongside creative execution.
This momentum has also fueled expansion into new categories, including partnerships with Fortune 500 companies across technology, automotive, beauty and consumer sectors.
Together, the expanded team reflects Dazed Studio’s continued investment in blending cultural intelligence, editorial thinking, and strategic rigor to help brands build relevance and create work that meaningfully resonates with audiences.
“Dazed has always operated at the intersection of culture, creativity and community,” said Jefferson Hack, Co-Founder of Dazed Media and Chief Creative Officer of Dazed Studio. “Expanding our strategic capabilities allows us to work with partners in a deeper and more transformative way — helping brands not only respond to culture, but actively shape it.”
Farmiloe, Okubo, and Ye begin their new roles immediately.
