17 Black directors to hire for Super Bowl 2024

After yet another disappointing year for diversity among Super Bowl directors—82% of this year’s Big Game spots were directed by white men—it’s become clear advertisers need further help in embracing different voices. To shine a light on gifted directors who aren’t getting the chances they deserve, Ad Age worked with Sophie Gold, founder and president of Eleanor, with input from other production company leaders, to compile the list below. We focused on Black directors specifically, since only one Black director made a Super Bowl ad this year (Rodney Lucas via Even/Odd for the NFL and 72andSunny). Related: Super Bowl ads get a failing grade for director diversity While the Super Bowl may be just a snapshot of the industry at a given moment, it’s an important one, said Gold. “It’s a snapshot that should concern the industry because by limiting ourselves to a narrow demographic, we are limiting the storytelling, creativity and effectiveness of our work,” she said. “Anyone interested in improving storytelling, creativity and effectiveness—the very things that have declined, according to many voices within the industry—can play their part in a cultural turnover when Super Bowl LVIII rolls around next year.” This is hardly a definitive list, but it’s a start for clients and agencies who may not know where to look for diverse directors who are already creating great work—and can do so on the Big Game, too. “There are others,” said Gold. “Investigate their talent, and then invest in them. Make these directors part of your conversations. They’re not up-and-coming, risky or another subversive word. They are talented directors, award winners who have already poured so much into advertising, entertainment and film.”Also see: A celebration of Black creative excellence Melina Matsoukas Prettybird Melina Matsoukas began her career in entertainment, directing projects for Jay-Z, Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Solange, Pharrell and Rihanna (for whom she made the Grammy- and VMA Video of the Year-winning “We Found Love” video). Her advertising work includes Beats by Dre’s “You Love Me,” one of the most award-winning projects of recent years, as well as work for Adidas, Stella McCartney, Coca-Cola, Nike and Levi’s. She was one of Ad Age’s “Creativity 50” in 2016. Her TV work includes Issa Rae’s breakout HBO series “Insecure,” as well as Netflix’s Aziz Ansari series “Master of None.” Her 2019 feature-film debut, “Queen & Slim,” earned her a slew of accolades including Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review. Paul Hunter Prettybird Prettybird co-founder Paul Hunter has made his mark telling unique yet relatable human stories and bringing some of the world’s biggest brands to the intersection of music and film. One of his most recent projects, “On the Clock,” a short film for the Los Angeles Rams, was branded content irresistibly styled like a summer blockbuster. His other commercial work has included global campaigns and award-winning spots for Beats, Samsung, Apple, Audi and Microsoft. Equally adept at spectacle and comedy, Hunter has broken ground in new media with projects such as Adidas' “Brotherhood.” He also executive produced a multi-platform project for Rihanna’s album “Rated R,” and teamed up with Pharrell Williams and Spotify for “Black History Is Happening Now,” a powerful campaign celebrating African Americans’ significant contributions to culture. Rohan Blair-Mangat Eleanor Rohan Blair-Mangat’s projects are notable for their inventive concepts, inspired production design and reflective tone. He has worked with talents such as Jay-Z, Naomi Osaka, Lionel Messi, Maya Rudolph, Nas, Daisy Ridley, Lewis Hamilton and Don Cheadle. His commercial credits include Beats by Dre, Apple, Procter & Gamble, the USGA and BMW. Other credits include the short film “Bam” from Jay Z’s album “4:44,” a Clio Award-winning music video with Black Thought to accompany the documentary series “Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story,” the visual album “Nasir—The Film” for Nas’s self-titled release, and the series “Centerpiece with Maurice Harris,” executive produced by Rashida Jones. In July 2020, Rohan co-founded Change The Lens, alongside Savanah Leaf, Alli Maxwell and J.M. Harper, to increase representation and opportunities for Black filmmakers in the commercial and music video industry. Raine Allen-Miller MJZ Raine Allen-Miller’s feature debut as a director, “Rye Lane,” premiered at Sundance last month to rave reviews—with her vivid depiction of South London drawing comparisons to when Spike Lee introduced the world to Bed-Stuy. (The rom-com, which Rolling Stone called “effervescent and lively,” will be coming to Hulu in March.) Prior to her move into directing, Allen-Miller worked at Saatchi & Saatchi and Anomaly before becoming an art director at Mother. Her commercial work includes Secret, TurboTax, Virgin Media, Nike Japan, Squarespace and Spotify. She also worked with Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam and young creators from around the world to create fast-paced, TikTok-style videos trumpeting features of Samsung's Galaxy A. She also made the fascinatingly structured music video “Trickle” for Denai Moore. Ad Age Leading Women and Rising Stars Last call for the annual awards Enter here Child. De La Revolucion Born to a churchgoing family in Shreveport, Louisiana, Grammy-nominated director child. has lived their entire life surrounded by music, art and spirituality. After starting their career as a photographer and art director, child went on to direct music videos for much-hyped artists Doja Cat, Post Malone and H.E.R, among others. They quickly gained attention with their bold, stylized aesthetic, lush use of light and color, and a storytelling sensibility steeped in the dreamy gothic lyricism of the African American South. Honoring their roots while continuing to grow wildly beyond them, child draws inspiration from sources as varied as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Malcolm X and their childhood. Their commercial work has included promo work for Hulu and The New York Times’ 1619 Project. They also directed their first Super Bowl commercial for Hologic, starring Mary J. Blige, in 2022. India Sleem Object & Animal India Sleem is a director and photographer from Manchester, England, currently living in New York. Her work deals with color, composition and human-centric themes. As a mixed-race person, she focuses on beautifying the diversity of cultures by capturing it using her visual voice. Sleem aims to form genuine bonds with her subjects, capturing authentic and honest moments. She directed Robyn and Neneh Cherry’s “Buffalo Stance” music video, as well as Toro y Moi’s “New House” music video. She has also explored documentary photography, as well as short film docs around topics such as matriarchy and the nature of friendships formed in childhood. Sleem has worked with clients including Apple, Nike, Fenty, Gap, Converse, GQ and Vogue. Justyna Obasi Love Song Justyna Obasi was one of a trio of directors who worked on Meta’s celebrated “Skate Nation Ghana” spot, which was nominated for an Emmy, and she also directed last year’s remarkable “Genuinely Close” spot for haircare brand Guhl. A visual artist by training, Obasi employs colors, textures and format to service a narrative purpose—every project is an adventure with beauty waiting to be discovered and revealed. Growing up with Polish and Nigerian parents in different countries and environments contributed to her gift for salvaging moments of genuine beauty wherever they may appear. Her other commercial credits include Google and Adidas. Across works, Obasi is invested in a powerful portrayal of women, Blackness, LGBTQI+ and youth culture. She lives and works between Berlin and Lagos, Nigeria. J.M. Harper Park Pictures Raised in the cornfields of Rockford, Illinois, J.M. Harper learned how to wield a camera by making visually driven, human documentaries in Berlin, Senegal and across the Americas. A polyglot and composer, Harper embraces the multi-hyphenate path of cinematography, editing and directing. Recent projects include “As We Speak,” a documentary about hip-hop lyrics and the criminal justice system he’s been directing for Paramount+, and “Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma,” a nonfiction short he edited that won the Jury Award at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. His film work has been featured at Tribeca Film Festival, Vimeo Staff Picks, FADER and the Guggenheim Museum. His commercial work has included projects for Facebook, Google, Allianz and Bevel. In his spare time, he teaches 16mm/35mm cinematography at a cinema arts non-profit called Mono No Aware. Ad Age Creativity Bookmark our section covering the best in brand creativity every day Read more here Savanah Leaf Park Pictures Grammy nominee Savanah Leaf has transitioned from Olympian—she competed for Great Britain in volleyball at the London Games in 2012—to accomplished director and photographer. Her work weaves art and creativity with a deep humanity and poignant social commentary. Savanah’s first feature film, “Earth Mama,” produced by A24, Film4 and Park Pictures, premiered in January at Sundance—and was praised for its “stark, poetic authenticity” (Screen Daily). She created the first installment of Universal Music’s “Never Made” series for great songs that never had a music video—tying Marvin Gaye’s 1971 classic “What’s Going On” to current racial and social struggles in the U.S. Her video “This Land” for Gary Clark Jr. was nominated for Best Music Video at the 2020 Grammys. Her photography is genuine, emotional and timeless, and exists in the realm of documentary, exploring themes of youth and authenticity. Her commercial work has included projects for Nike, Adidas and Fila. Daps Anonymous Content Daps is a Nigerian-born, British-raised, American-developed director and writer. From informative pieces in Africa, to commercials in the U.K., to music videos in the U.S., Daps has developed an impressive range and understanding of different mediums and culture. A former NCAA athlete—he played basketball at Campbell University in North Carolina—Daps got into the world of entertainment by writing concepts and second-unit directing for blockbuster music videos under Director X. Daps also second-unit directed and devised concepts for Kendrick Lamar, T.I., Jennifer Hudson, Wizkid and more. Daps has directed projects for brands such as Nike and BMW, as well as music videos for Migos, Quavo, 2 Chainz, Rich The Kid, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, City Girls, Davido, Jordin Sparks, Dappy and Sneakbo. His notable ads include Google’s “Black Owned Friday” and “The Pickup” and Nike’s “Tiger Would.” Courtney Phillips London Alley Courtney Phillips has become one of the U.K.’s most exciting emerging young directors. With a deep understanding of youth culture and urban style, he has successfully carved out a strong identity across multiple entertainment spheres. Though Phillips got his start in music videos—working with artists such as Rita Ora, Anne-Marie and Dermot Kennedy—he has since seamlessly transitioned into the advertising world. Over the past few years, Phillips has lent his distinctive style to leading brands such as Superdry, Havana Club, New Balance, BBC, Miller and Puma, among many others. Phillips continues to delve into new genres of music and filmmaking, all the while maintaining a fearless authenticity. Dime Davis Merman An Emmy-nominated director and writer based in Los Angeles, Dime Davis most recently served as writer and consulting producer for “The First Lady” on Showtime, starring Viola Davis, Gillian Anderson and Michelle Pfieffer. Dime also directed and co-executive produced HBO’s “A Black Lady Sketch Show”—she directed the entirety of Season 1 and received two Emmy nominations for her work. Dime served as the pilot and finale director for Season 1 of Lena Waithe’s “Boomerang.” Her work was so integral to the series that she was made showrunner and executive producer for Season 2, writing and directing half of the season’s episodes. Additional TV credits include Amazon’s “Modern Love,” “The Chi” and ABC’s acclaimed “Abbott Elementary.” In addition to her TV and film work, Dime has directed spots for brands such as Old Spice, Nissan and Disney. Ruganzu Howard Epoch Before becoming a comedy director, Ruganzu “Riggs” Howard worked for advertising agencies big and small, including BBDO, TBWA\Chiat\Day, Barton F. Graf and Translation. Prior to that, he was an assistant editor at Bikini Editorial, where he worked under the guidance and tutelage of editor Avi Oron. In a past life, Howard was a Baltimore city police detective, where he served as a violent crimes investigator, hostage negotiator and police department spokesperson. His ambitious and slightly fanatical spirit for all things funny keeps him pushing the directorial envelope. Howard's sense of comedic timing and obsession with cinematic craft always serve the script above all else, and his years of advertising agency experience make him an excellent collaborator on any project. His commercial credits include spots for Zelle, Benjamin Moore, Old Spice and Arby’s. Millicent Shelton Doomsday Entertainment St. Louis native Millicent Shelton originally enrolled at Princeton University to become a lawyer. In her junior year, she signed up for a summer film course at NYU and quickly discovered her passion for directing. She has since directed an array of TV comedies and dramas, including “Empire,” “American Crime,” “The Flash,” “Black-ish,” “Ballers,” “Scandal,” “30 Rock,” “Parenthood” and the pilot episode of “Awkward.” In 2009, Shelton was the first African American woman to receive a primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for the “Apollo Apollo” episode of NBC’s “30 Rock.” She has won multiple NAACP Image Awards, as well as a Peabody Award, and has created more than 100 music videos. Her brand work has included a series of comic spots for Old Spice. Bradford Young Serial Pictures Bradford Young is an Oscar-nominated cinematographer and director. He was the DP on feature films including “Arrival,” “Selma” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” and on TV series such as Netflix’s “When They See Us.” He earned an Academy Award nomination for his work on “Arrival”—the first-ever African American to be nominated in the cinematography category. In the advertising space, he is best known for the stunning “Super. Human” film made for Channel 4’s TV coverage of the Tokyo Paralympics—the sequel to the celebrated spots “Meet the Superhumans” in 2012 and “We’re The Superhumans” in 2016. Young also works in fine art as a film installation artist and has served as cinematographer on a host of brand spots directed by the likes of Melina Matsoukas, Jenn Nkiru, Megaforce, Spike Jonze and Kathryn Bigelow. Bethany Mollenkof Sibling Rivalry Bethany Mollenkof is a commercial director and editorial photographer based in Los Angeles. She specializes in portraiture and intimate, visual glimpses of the world around us—telling stories about gender, culture, identity and self-representation. Bethany's work appears regularly in major publications such as The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic and ESPN. Commercially, she has worked with Apple, Mercedes, UPS, Nike, Netflix and more. Her process often uses found imagery, archives, written narratives and photography. Mollenkof graduated from Western Kentucky University, where she studied photojournalism and art history. Calmatic Prettybird Raised in South Central Los Angeles, Calmatic is a self-taught filmmaker who discovered his passion for telling stories at a young age. As a director, he strives to humanize others’ unique experiences without infusing them with negative stereotypes. He seeks to stretch the limits of his viewers’ reality while highlighting the beauty in the mundane. Calmatic’s video collaborations span some of music’s most influential artists, including Donald Glover, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Zayn Malik, Lizzo, Anderson .Paak and more. One of his best-known projects to date is Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” video, which won the Grand Prix Entertainment Lion for Music at Cannes and a VMA for best director. In 2020, Ad Age named Calmatic director of the year. He has directed commercials for global brands including Target, Apple, Sprite, Chase and TurboTax, the latter of which premiered during Super Bowl LIV. His most recent project is a remake of the ’90s cult classic film House Party, released in January.

17 Black directors to hire for Super Bowl 2024

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