Editing Spike Lee (section)

== Commercials ==
In mid-1990, [[Levi Strauss & Co.|Levi's]] hired Lee to direct a series of TV commercials for their 501 button-fly jeans.<ref>Elliott, Stuart (July 22, 1991). [https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/22/business/media-business-advertising-levi-spike-lee-return-button-your-fly-part-2.html "THE MEDIA BUSINESS: &#91;sic&#93; Advertising; Levi and Spike Lee Return In 'Button Your Fly' Part 2"]. ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> Marketing executives from [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n29_v221/ai_19625060 |title=Kindred, Dave; "Mars points NBA to next Milky Way – advertising character Mars Blackmon"; findarticles.com; July 21, 1997 |date=July 21, 1997 |publisher=Findarticles.com|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120526220117/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n29_v221/ai_19625060|archive-date=May 26, 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref> offered Lee a job directing commercials for the company. They wanted to pair Lee's character, [[Mars Blackmon]], who greatly admired athlete [[Michael Jordan]], and Jordan in a marketing campaign for the [[Air Jordan]] line. Later, Lee was asked to comment on the phenomenon of violence related to inner-city youths trying to steal Air Jordans from other kids.<ref name="chuck">{{Cite web |url=http://chucksconnection.com/articles/ConverseArt08.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060811202026/http://www.chucksconnection.com/articles/ConverseArt08.html|url-status=dead |title=Chucksconnection.com |archive-date=August 11, 2006}}</ref> He said that, rather than blaming manufacturers of apparel that gained popularity, "deal with the conditions that make a kid put so much importance on a pair of sneakers, a jacket and gold".<ref name="chuck" /> Through the marketing wing of 40 Acres and a Mule, Lee has directed commercials for [[Converse (shoe company)|Converse]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/converse-splits-butler-88594/ |title=Converse Splits With Butler|access-date=February 15, 2018 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Jaguar (car)|Jaguar]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://adage.com/article/news/jaguar-enlists-spike-lee-diversify-market/58590/ |title=Jaguar enlists Spike Lee to help diversify market|access-date=February 15, 2018 |language=en}}</ref> [[Taco Bell]],<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-07-fi-21159-story.html |title=Basketball Stars Team Up for Taco Bell Ad Campaign : Marketing: Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon go one-on-one in television commercials that follow up provocative teasers in several papers. |last=JOHNSON |first=GREG |date=July 7, 1995 |work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=February 15, 2018 |language=en-US |issn=0458-3035}}</ref> and [[Ben & Jerry's]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://adage.com/article/news/ben-jerry-s-spike-smooth-ice-creams-big-ad-effort-boasts-a-social-conscience/87948/ |title=BEN & JERRY'S & SPIKE & SMOOTH ICE CREAMS' FIRST BIG AD EFFORT BOASTS A SOCIAL CONSCIENCE|access-date=February 15, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>