10 March 2026: Brand partnerships agency Miai+ is expanding into the United States, opening its first US office in Seattle and appointing former Xbox Global Brand Marketing General Manager, Taylor Smith, as Vice President and Managing Director, US.
Based in Seattle, Miai’s first US office will be a creative agency offering, led by ideas that cut through with brand partnerships that amplify them. The new office brings 15 years of expertise in partnerships between gaming properties and brands, as well as negotiating sports sponsorship deals.
Founded in the UK in 2011, Miai built its reputation connecting brands with other brands across gaming and youth culture – the name comes from the matchmaking concept of sparking the kind of brand partnerships that create genuine brand love affairs. The agency has evolved into an ideas-led creative force, using bold, culture-shaping thinking to build that same love directly between brands and the audiences who matter most.
At the centre of that evolution is a simple belief: real connection starts with a breakthrough idea. Partnerships, sponsorships and other tactical activations are shaped around a powerful creative thought – not the other way round. Relentlessly human in its approach, Miai builds work grounded in instinct, conversation and cultural fluency, with ideas sparked by people rather than algorithms or echoes of what’s worked before. With its finger firmly on the pulse of culture, the agency has built deep credibility in gaming and youth spaces and is now taking that mindset to a bigger global stage, helping mainstream brands earn meaningful relevance in the worlds their audiences care about.
The launch of a US office marks a natural next step for the well-established agency, supporting global clients including Xbox, Amazon Games, and Hasbro, with operations across both the UK and North America. The Seattle base will operate as a creative campaign and partnerships hub, expanding capabilities across video, design and content creation, while continuing Miai’s expertise in brand collaborations and sports sponsorship negotiations. The US team will mirror the successful UK model led by CEO Claudine Harris and COO Bolu Akindoyin, scaling as demand grows.
Miai’s partnership expertise was behind the multi-award-winning Xbox + Oreo “Cheat Cookies” campaign, Pringles’ “Meet Frank”, the Gucci + Xbox “Good Game” collection, and the lead creative agency on the Starfield + Tempur’s “Dream Chair” and Krispy Kreme + Xbox’s 20th Anniversary activation.
Smith brings more than 20 years of experience shaping some of the most influential entertainment and gaming brands in the world. During his time at Xbox, he led global brand marketing across major franchises, including Halo, Gears of War, Forza Motorsport, and Minecraft, as well as the Xbox console ecosystem and Xbox Game Pass. His work has earned more than 60 Cannes Lions, with campaigns such as Halo 3’s “Believe” and Tomb Raider’s “Survival Billboard” contributing to Clio Advertiser of the Year honors – the only creative leader to achieve this distinction twice in a decade. Beyond gaming, he has overseen cross-industry collaborations spanning sport, music, film, and fashion.
Claudine Harris, CEO of Miai, said:
“Our reputation has been built on creativity and cultural fluency – understanding where audiences are heading and helping brands meet them there with ideas that truly connect. When brands feel natural in the world people care about, they stop feeling like marketing and start feeling like something worth paying attention to.
Taylor is known in the industry for championing creativity, which, in today’s world, is the only way brands can truly connect with audiences. We’re delighted to welcome him to the team and can’t think of a better person to spearhead our expansion into the US. Under Taylor’s guidance, we’ll have real presence in one of the world’s most important markets, with feet on the ground and relationships close to the action. We’re bringing the same model that’s driven our success in the UK – idea-led, partnership-powered, culturally sharp – and we’ll scale it as demand grows.”
Taylor Smith, Vice President and Managing Director, US, added:
“What excites me about Miai is the clarity of its creative ambition and the strength of its relationships. Being based in Seattle puts us close to the key decision-makers influencing the future of gaming, entertainment, and brand marketing. That proximity matters. It means we can build deeper partnerships, move faster, and create campaigns that don’t just show up in culture – they entertain it. My focus is on taking what Miai already does brilliantly and amplifying it in the US with even greater creativity.”
