Vogue Business just spotlighted Oakley’s most innovative year ever — and the IoDF is part of the story.
Feature: ‘IoDF Oakley Future 5:' A Blueprint for Brand x Culture — Caio Amato, Oakley Global President.
At IoDF, we don’t do “collabs.” We build cultural infrastructure, authentically!
Last week we wrapped a future-defining partnership with Oakley: a 3-day innovation lab, strategic open call, and cultural deep-dive that identified and activated the ‘Oakley Future 5 ‘ a new generation of creators reimagining eyewear, apparel and identity tools for 2075.
Delivered end-to-end by IoDF. From strategy and concept to talent and event hosting.
This partnership is a case study in how brands can embed cultural relevance, digital foresight and long-term IP creation into a single program, putting community and culture at the center.
Oakley x IoDF Partnership Outcomes:
Bringing community into the center of the conversation, overwhelming organic applications to the open call, building diverse visibility, for both the brand and emerging innovators and creators, occupying the same space and shared growth through R&D
High-impact brand IP created across IRL activations, rich moments through authentic community moments.
Making cultural impact, through Content, data and narrative frameworks to fuel loyalty ecosystems.
Talent pipeline integrated into ongoing Oakley programming, curating r&d and awareness of the tech focused brand positioning, supporting emerging talent and the brand development.
Diversifying community engagement, Gifting suite and seeding opportunities activated for multi tiered communities, brand-aligned guests , emerging creatives and real community.
Reach and awareness- 150K+ organic views across campaign content
True community attendance, not influencers but High guest quality from innovators to creatives.
High visibility and credibility delivered through top-tier talent including Nigel Matambo (AR lead for Louis Vuitton), Joe Brim (Romeo Beckham, Machine Gun Kelly), and a Ru Paul Drag Race UK alumnus, Lexi Scharpf from Studio FCLX & Khumo Morojele.
Innovation Lab backed by global expert leads: Josephine Chanter (Deputy Director Design Museum) and Jocelyn Burnham (Global AI specialist)
360 cross-functional delivery of innovation led awareness for the brand, to celebrating talent within the panel curation to expert led workshops.
This is just the beginning.
Take aways for driving true impact:
Future Creatives Program (ideation + recruitment + IP build)
“Putting creators at the center of community, building relationships and growth for both the brand and the emerging talents.”
“We believe in our community, and support them 100% in all we do, we are a brand with a mission to democratise the landscape and to make more opportunities, for tech driven impact.”
Innovation Lab (1-day cultural workshop)
“At IoDF, we treat R&D as cultural infrastructure, blending creative foresight with technical experimentation to prototype systems, products, and narratives for the near and long-term future.”
“Artifacts from the Future” (narrative system + showcase)
“IRL x url physical activation are a must, showcasing the past, allows people to see what the future is, we believe in building narrative arcs and story telling in physical events.”
Panel curation + comms strategy + cultural stewardship onsite
“Bringing experts from diverse perspectives and from wider catagories and disciplines brings true innovation, using a STEAM narratives brings a greater learning for all.”
High VIP attendance rate, all driven by IoDF’s direct community
“We are here to build moments for our communities, to support them and give them experiences and opportunities “
Full “Powered by IoDF” creative delivery
“The event we curated was one where our community felt seen. Where talent felt backed. Where brand and culture met on equal terms.
“This isn’t a one-off activation. It’s a blueprint for immersive commerce, generational brand equity, and scalable creative R&D.”
“At IoDF, we prototype the new standard for future-facing business — where culture is the product, and tech is the infrastructure.”
We build what’s next. Culture-led. Tech-driven. Powered by insight.
Special Mention: Oakley Future 5 Runners-Up
While we could only select five creatives to form the final cohort, the response to our open call was rich with thought-provoking work and future-facing ideas. A number of submissions stood out for their originality, clarity, and cultural direction.
These runners-up demonstrated bold thinking and creative vision — and we want to recognise them here:
To everyone who applied: thank you. You shaped this project far beyond the final list. We’re proud of what we’ve built and even more excited about what’s coming next.
To everyone who applied: thank you. Your thinking shaped this program far beyond the shortlist, and we’re looking forward to what’s next.
To everyone who applied: thank you, we’re excited to keep building with this community.
- Team IoDF