Filmmaker, Founder & CEO, Spike DDB

Spike Lee is a trailblazing Producer, Writer, Director and Educator. He is an icon, not only for revolutionizing the landscape of Independent Cinema and the role of Black talent in film (both in front of and behind the camera), but also for the ways in which his unique vision has influenced American culture. Spike is also the Founder and CEO of advertising agency, Spike DDB.

Spike made his initial foray into the Ad World with his historic 1988 “Air Jordan” campaign with Michael Jordan for Nike. In 1997 he launched the advertising agency Spike DDB, a joint venture with Omnicom Group\'s DDB Worldwide. Spike DDB is a fully integrated agency with a focus on trendsetter, cross-cultural and millennial audiences. Its mission is to help evolve brands by activating their Cultural Connections. Spike DDB has a range of clients including General Motors’ Chevrolet and Cadillac.

A graduate of Morehouse College and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where he is a tenured Professor of Film and Artistic Director, Spike has been the recipient of many film accolades. To name a few, his debut film, the independently produced comedy She’s Gotta Have It, earned him the Prix de Jeunesse at the Cannes Film Festival in 1986 and set him at the forefront of the Black New Wave in American Cinema. His epic drama Malcolm X, starring Denzel Washington, received two Academy Award® nominations. His production company 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, is located in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn where Spike grew up.

During the past year, Spike has blazed new trails in Movie Making with his latest film, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus. He did this first by financing the film through a Kickstarter campaign, and then by making it available online through Vimeo before it’s theatrical release. Spike has also combined his love of Sports and Film by producing a short Film Series, Spike Lee’s Lil’ Joints, for ESPN. The public’s appreciation and recognition for his exemplary Body of Work is ongoing. Most recently, he received the NAACP President’s Award.

Like 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, Spike DDB is also headquartered in Brooklyn, NY in the creatively burgeoning DUMBO neighborhood. Spike DDB is comprised of a team of diverse, strategic and talented people with a passion for creating work that both reflects and influences diverse cultures.