Spike Lee Tapped New York University Students For A Recent Campaign

Vitaminwater has launched a new campaign, titled “Vitaminwater from New York,” to celebrate New York City and the city’s diverse voices. The campaign highlights a series of short films, “Energy of New York,” “Color of New York” and “Taste of New York,” directed by film students at New York City University, selected by Spike Lee.

Each film follows everyday New Yorkers living their lives in the city, featuring Vitaminwater’s lineup of flavors.

“Directing the ‘Vitaminwater from New York’ ad campaign was an exciting opportunity, given I grew up in the city and it’s shaped my creative experience in countless ways,” Lee said in a statement. “Since Vitaminwater is also from New York, it’s been a lot of fun exploring how the brand injects a daily dose of vibrancy into people’s lives, much like the iconic city. To tell this story, I’ve also hand-picked three of my graduate film school, young and talented students to create a series of short films that reflect New York’s energy, color and taste. I’m thrilled to see how this content showcases the many flavors of NYC in a way that’s uniquely authentic to Vitaminwater.”

The campaign’s student filmmakers include Joshua Reed, Kaitlyn Busbee and Joecar Hanna, who all find inspiration in New York City’s “energy,” “diversity,” and “beauty.” The three were handpicked by Lee.

“The energy of New York is everywhere, all around us,” said Reed in a statement. “That’s what inspired me when writing the concept for this film. The energy of New York inspires our main character to document her daily life, to capture that energy. She asks the people around her, ‘What gives you energy?’ From her friends on the soccer pitch to her fellow models in the photo studio, the answers are eclectic. As one person puts it, “The energy is why I love it here in New York”. It was really great to work with an iconic brand like vitaminwater, which began in New York City, to tell this story and capture the mood of the city. As you tackle New York City, vitaminwater will be there to match your energy.”

Watch Reed, Busbee and Hanna’s films below: