Disrupt acquires Imagen Insights and Welcomes Jay Richards as Managing Director

We’re excited to announce that Disrupt has acquired Imagen Insights, the qualitative research platform trusted by global brands. As part of the acquisition, Imagen co-founder Jay Richards has been appointed Managing Director of Disrupt Marketing, where he will lead the agency’s next phase of growth. In this role, he will embed Imagen’s insight-led approach directly into Disrupt’s work, ensuring qualitative intelligence plays a central role in how brands connect with audiences.

Imagen brings a capability that strengthens how Disrupt already works. By integrating always-on qualitative intelligence into how creators are identified, narratives are shaped and performance is measured, we’re building a more audience-led approach to influence.

For our clients, this means decisions grounded in how people actually think, feel and behave. Not just what performs on the surface, but why it works. Qualitative insight will now sit at the heart of strategy, creative development and measurement, supporting clearer thinking and more effective decisions across the full funnel.

Jay’s appointment as Managing Director is a key part of this next chapter. He brings a strong track record in audience insight, strategy and leadership, and will focus on evolving Disrupt’s approach to creator marketing. His role is about helping brands build campaigns that are culturally relevant, commercially effective and rooted in real audience understanding, not assumptions.

Imagen Insights will continue to operate as a platform within Disrupt with co-founder Cat Agostinho continuing to lead Imagen’s platform management and client delivery, ensuring Imagen’s core strength in genuine human insight remains at the forefront.

The move also reflects a broader shift across Tomorrow Group, which brings together Disrupt, Found, SEED and Braidr to connect creativity, performance, data and AI around a shared belief that influence only matters when it delivers real-world outcomes.

This is a strategic step forward for Disrupt and for the wider group.

Said Tina Judic, Chairman of Tomorrow Group. “Influencer marketing has moved past intuition and surface metrics. Imagen brings real audience insight into the heart of our work, and Jay’s appointment gives Disrupt the leadership to turn that insight into stronger, more effective campaigns for clients.”

You cannot build influence without listening properly.

Said Jay Richards, Managing Director of Disrupt. “This move allows us to take the raw, unfiltered voice of audiences and apply it directly to creator strategy, creative direction and performance. It is a more honest and effective way to grow brands.”

This acquisition allows us to strengthen what makes Imagen Insights valuable, genuine human insight.

Said Cat Agostinho  “I’m excited to continue evolving the platform and delivering even more powerful qualitative intelligence for our clients.”

The acquisition reflects changing market conditions, where brands face increased pressure to demonstrate effectiveness, cultural relevance and return on investment. By combining qualitative insight, creator partnerships, performance marketing and AI-driven analysis, Tomorrow Group continues to build a more connected model for modern growth.