Directors Justin Polk and Mel Jones along with Hollywood producer/entrepreneur Stephen “Dr” Love have launched Invisible Collective, a production company and creative studio looking to partner with advertising and entertainment industry leaders seeking greater access to directors and creatives — including women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Founders Polk, Jones and Love have collectively worked with world-class brands and A-list talent including Verizon, Hyundai, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Whole Foods, Boost Mobile, Procter & Gamble, Lionsgate, and rapper Big Sean. The team’s work has earned such accolades as an Emmy, five Cannes Lions (including the Film Grand Prix), and an MTV Video Music Award.
Invisible Collective has assembled a roster of talent that includes Polk, Jones, contemporary American artist Hebru Brantley, Taiwanese American commercial director Erin Li, and Matthew Castellanos, a Mexican American filmmaker best known for producing and directing digital TV shows, music videos and commercial content.
Jones shared, “Above all, Invisible Collective is a group of immensely talented storytellers. Our diverse backgrounds uniquely position us to build stronger bridges between brands and rapidly changing target markets. We bring forth an arsenal of film and television relationships as well as our expertise to craft and tell brand narratives speaking to the current consumer experience with fresh, authentic, and innovative voices.”
This “melting pot” collective helps brands create content that is dynamic and culturally reflective of today’s population, particularly important considering studies show that brands with the most representative ads saw an average stock gain of 44%; those showing a broad variety of cultural and demographic groups saw an 83% higher consumer preference.
Love added: “We started Invisible to be a resource for relevance and a catalyst for change. Of course, luminary filmmakers like David Fincher and Spike Jonze were able to get their start in commercials. However, my diverse director colleagues–many of whom are already accomplished in movies and TV–are eager to bring their voices to short-form and have earned a chance to do so.”
It’s no secret that creative industries have long struggled with diversity. From #OscarsSoWhite in 2015 to the recent 600 & Rising organization calling for agency leadership action in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, major change is happening worldwide–and Invisible Collective is poised to accelerate that change for diverse talent and increase new opportunities across the advertising industry.
“Without diversity on the creative side, companies end up paying more in damage control when they make ads that don’t take into account how all members of society will perceive them,” said Polk. “We launched Invisible Collective to be a partner that champions creatives across all races and genders, breaks new talent, and acts as a creative partner that makes content that resonates with consumers–so everyone wins.”
