Spike Lee directs Arsenal ad

Spike Lee directs Arsenal ad

The film-maker and Arsenal supporter has directed Who Are Ya?, a short advert promoting the club’s partnership with Airwallex.

Photo by Ray Amati/Getty Images

Spike Lee has directed a new advertisement for Arsenal, with the club using the short film Who Are Ya? to promote its partnership with Airwallex.

Lee, a long-standing Arsenal supporter, also makes a cameo in the film alongside Arsenal legends and current players, giving the campaign a higher-profile edge than standard commercial partnerships launches.

Explaining the idea behind the project, Lee said: “I’ve been riding with Arsenal for years – it started with Thierry. But what really stayed with me is what the club stands for, its history, its culture, the way it reflects the world beyond the pitch. With Who Are Ya?, I wanted to capture that real supporter energy—the passion, the debates, the humour.

“Fans today don’t just follow the game, they understand everything around it too. Bringing Airwallex into that conversation felt natural, because the film plays on how fans now talk about the business side of football just as much as what happens on the pitch. This film is about that voice, that culture, and that community.”

For Arsenal, the film is clearly intended to do more than place a sponsor’s name in front of supporters. The advert leans into the idea that modern fans are just as engaged by football’s financial and commercial side as they are by the action on the pitch, which is the angle Airwallex wanted to use in introducing itself to the club’s audience. It’s a stretch.