Hi, I'm Ernest Baker
Creative Director. Writer. Filmmaker.For more than 15 years, I’ve partnered with the world’s most influential brands, talent, and entertainment properties to craft award-winning 360 campaigns, A/V advertising, broadcast TVCs, and cultural storytelling.Based in Los Angeles, I lead multidisciplinary creative teams—writers, art directors, designers, editors, and producers—from initial concept and scriptwriting through production, post-production, and multi-platform launches across streaming, broadcast, digital, and social.These are some of my favorite creations and experiences. Enjoy.
A Message From Luka Doncic
Creative Director & Writer (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2025We built Gatorade’s “Traitor” spot around a single powerful image. No exposition, no extras—just visual tension, deliberate pacing, and a message that cut through the noise: “No love lost. Only sweat.” By stripping away traditional commercial clutter, we turned a charged narrative moment into an iconic A/V spot that let Luka’s presence do all the talking, taking home three Clio Silver awards in the process.
Adobe's Sundance Manifesto
Creative Director (Adobe), 2026Shot on the ground at the final Sundance Film Festival in Park City, we sat down with indie filmmakers debuting theatrical features and the screenwriters behind KPop Demon Hunters to unpack “why they create.” I led the creative direction and narrative structure for this visual manifesto anchoring Adobe’s global Made To Create brand campaign.
Google Gemini Goes to the World Cup
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Google Gemini), 2026Tasked with demonstrating how Google Gemini acts as the ultimate companion for live sports fans, we scripted and produced a fast-paced, high-stakes A/V spot timed to Team USA’s run on the world’s biggest stage—blending product storytelling with the kinetic energy of tournament play.
Finding The NFL's Artistry
Creative Director & Writer (Adobe), 2026For Adobe’s flagship NFL partnership, we turned gridiron movement into a living canvas with Travis Hunter and George Kittle. I led the concept, scripting, and A/V creative direction—blending dynamic motion design, expressive visual effects, and a little comedic timing to showcase how Adobe’s creative tools bring the football mindset to life.
Dirk's Advice for Coop
Creative Director & Writer (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2025A narrative Gatorade film where Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki welcomes and mentors Cooper Flagg as he enters the league. We scripted and directed the piece to feel like a cinematic passing of the torch—framing Flagg’s arrival not just as a draft pick, but as the next chapter in Dallas history.
Creating With Tycho
Creative Director (Adobe), 2026Concepted and directed on-set for Adobe’s documentary profile on Grammy-nominated ambient musician and visual artist Tycho. Shot on location across San Francisco and the historic Castro Theatre, the film captures the parallel evolution of his signature sound design and 30-year legacy of visual art powered by Adobe tools.
Googlebook Personality Test
Creative Director & Writer (THE•TEAM / Android), 2026To showcase the cross-device ecosystem between Android phones and Googlebook laptops, we avoided dry tech specs and built an interactive personality-test carousel around modern user archetypes. I led the creative direction, copywriting, and visual narrative—translating ecosystem features like Continue On and Quick Access into sleek, relatable lifestyle moments.
A Netflix Documentary
Producer & Writer (Cycle / Netflix), 2018I ideated, pitched, and produced Netflix’s Taking Up Space—an original digital documentary series following the real-life stories and cultural journeys of Black students navigating life at Harvard and Yale. I also led the narrative arc and launch strategy alongside Netflix’s marketing team.
Owning Culture With Beats By Dre
Writer (Laundry Service / Beats By Dre), 2015Tasked with uniting Beats hardware, the theatrical release of Straight Outta Compton, and Dr. Dre’s musical legacy into a single global moment, I helped develop the core concept, copywriting, and social launch strategy for the Cannes Lion-winning Straight Outta Somewhere campaign.
Naomi Osaka's Anthem
Writer (Hyperice), 2020I conceptualized and scripted Hyperice’s “Humanity” broadcast and digital anthem, voiced by Naomi Osaka. Carried by Osaka’s intimate narration and atmospheric pacing, the spot challenged systemic inequities while positioning physical recovery and collective empathy as a single shared journey.
Elevating Artists on Apple Music
Vice President of Editorial (UnitedMasters), 2018While leading editorial and brand voice at UnitedMasters, we captured a Cannes Lion and Clio for our soundtrack collaboration with the NBA—and built on that momentum by launching an exclusive Apple Music partnership dedicated to curating, playlisting, and breaking independent artists globally.
Caitlin Clark Aims for Greatness
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2025Creative directed Gatorade’s viral A/V spot with Caitlin Clark on location at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. We subverted expectations by taking the basketball phenomenon off the hardwood to throw laser-sharp football passes—delivering a playful, kinetic piece of short-form video that dominated Super Bowl week conversation.
Sweat Meets Streetwear
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2024Led the 360 creative direction and launch film for the Gatorade × Eric Emanuel capsule collection. We bridged the heritage of a legacy sports giant with the visual language of luxury New York streetwear—selling out the entire merchandise drop upon release.
RDCWorld's Wild Livestream
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2025During a grueling, hilarious live broadcast session with creator collective RDCWorld, we blended unscripted comedy, gaming culture, and brand storytelling in real time for Gatorade. The broadcast broke new ground for the brand during Super Bowl Weekend 2025, generating millions of views across breakout social cutdowns.
Gatorade's Times Square Takeover
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2026When the Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals, Gatorade needed an immediate, larger-than-life statement honoring Karl-Anthony Towns. We concepted and executed a high-impact out-of-home takeover at the Crossroads of the World in Times Square within hours of the final buzzer.
An Award-Winning Origin Story
Creative Director & Writer (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2025Creative directed a rapid-response campaign that simultaneously celebrated the Florida Gators winning the NCAA March Madness tournament and spotlighted Gatorade’s 1965 origin story inside a University of Florida lab. The piece captured a Clio Silver Award and proved that authentic heritage makes the sharpest copy.
Introducing A'ja Wilson
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Gatorade), 2024Directed the visual identity, copy, and launch creative for Gatorade’s campaign welcoming WNBA champion and MVP A’ja Wilson to the brand roster—framing her power, poise, and dominance on a throne of her own.
Jordan All-Star Festival
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Jordan), 2025During the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend in the Bay, I contributed creative direction for Jordan’s Fam Fest, shaping the on-the-ground experience from concept to execution, ultimately transforming a former navy base into an immersive Jordan-branded world that felt true to the city, teeming with electric All-Star energy.
Record-Setting NBA 2K Revenue
Global Social Lead (2K / Take-Two Interactive), 2020Led a global team of marketers, video creators, and writers across the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia for NBA 2K’s record-breaking $3.37 billion revenue year (10M+ units sold)—directing athlete A/V shoots and platform partnerships across Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
Garden State's 20th Anniversary
Creator & Writer (Greek Theatre), 2025To promote the 20th-anniversary live concert celebration of Zach Braff’s cult classic Garden State and its Grammy-winning soundtrack at the Greek Theatre, I scripted and produced a TikTok retrospective unpacking why the film’s music and emotional ethos still resonate two decades later.
On Tour With Tyler The Creator
Writer (Rolling Stone), 2015One of music's weirdest and smartest young stars invited me on his tour bus for a trip between sold out concerts in New Orleans and Dallas. I got to witness the magic behind his platinum-selling, Grammy-winning formula firsthand.
The Arrival of Frank Ocean
Writer (Complex), 2011Before the Grammys, the global mystique, and Blonde, there was a brilliant songwriter from New Orleans reshaping modern R&B. I sat down with Frank Ocean for one of his first definitive cover stories, capturing a generational artist right as the world was waking up to his genius.
LeBron's Utopian Vision for Akron
Editor In Chief (Front Office Sports), 2023On the scene in Akron, Ohio where the LeBron James Family Foundation is on a mission to revitalize the basketball star's hometown community with school programs, housing, a job training facility, and health services.
A Conversation With Pharrell
Writer (Vice), 2014When "Happy" was the biggest song on earth, I caught up with Pharrell to cut through the noise and figure out how a timeless auteur stays human at the absolute peak of pop culture.
Revisiting A Rock Classic
Creator & Writer (Universal Music Group), 2026Partnered with Universal Music Group to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Jimmy Eat World’s landmark album Bleed American. I wrote and produced a TikTok breakdown that generated 1.8 million views—connecting a generational rock record to a massive modern audience.
A $700 Million Blockbuster
Editor In Chief (Front Office Sports), 2022Sports fans were shocked when the legendary Staples Center became Crypto.com Arena — literally overnight. I spoke to execs on both sides of the deal for an inside look at the extremely expensive and complicated transaction.
Naming A No. 1 Album
Creative Consultant (October's Very Own), 2015When Drake and Future teamed up for their landmark joint album, I was asked to help brainstorm a title for the project. My first suggestion: What A Time To Be Alive. The name stuck, the record went Platinum at No. 1, and the phrase permanently entered the cultural lexicon.
Up Close With Lana Del Rey
Writer (Complex), 2011Right as Born To Die was polarizing the entire music ecosystem, I went behind the curtain with Lana Del Rey. In one of her first major, unfiltered interviews, we cut through the overnight success, the backlash, and the rumors for a revealing portrait of the calculated visionary beneath the storm.
A Soccer Champ's Journey With Adobe
Creative Director & Writer (Adobe), 2025Linked up with Olympic gold medalist, FIFA World Cup winner, and NWSL champion Kelley O'Hara for content about how she uses Adobe tools to make the game of soccer even more creative.
La Liga's Great Expectations
Editor In Chief (Front Office Sports), 2022With a $2.3 billion investment from CVC Capital Partners in hand, Spain's premier soccer league is on a quest to become the planet's most popular sporting institution. I went to Madrid to find out more about their plans.
The NBA's Youngest Team Owner
Editor In Chief (Front Office Sports), 2023Mat Ishbia made history when he acquired the Phoenix Suns for $4 billion. I sat down with the 44-year-old at his team's arena to talk about trading for Kevin Durant, media rights deals, and the rest of his fiery start.
Digital Debates on ESPN
Producer (Cycle / ESPN), 2018When ESPN sought original video franchises to capture younger audiences across digital platforms, I produced and oversaw creative marketing for Last Table—an unscripted A/V series bringing elite athletes, comedians, and cultural figures together for unfiltered sports debates over dinner.
Google Gemini's Soccer House
Creative Director (THE•TEAM / Google Gemini), 2026With the Gemini Photobooth on the ground in Venice Beach, I creative directed a raw, quick-turn social spot to spread the word as Los Angeles celebrated the World Cup.
The Linkin Park Connection
Music Critic & Creative Catalyst (Linkin Park), 2014After publishing an incisive critique on the state of modern rock music, I got a call from Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda to debate the genre’s trajectory—a creative exchange that directly inspired the band to pivot away from electronic pop and return to visceral, heavy guitar rock on The Hunting Party.
The Future of Competitive Sailing
Editor In Chief (Front Office Sports), 2022SailGP, brainchild of champion yachtsman Sir Russell Coutts and Oracle founder Larry Ellison, wants to bring sailing to the masses. I got a personal look at the ambitious operation during a season finale in San Francisco.
A Historic Fight in Las Vegas
Editor In Chief (Front Office Sports), 2022Tension was in the air and millions of dollars were at stake at the third Canelo-GGG match in Sin City. I met up with both boxers on the Strip before their iconic trilogy reached its dramatic conclusion.
Nas Revisits His Magnum Opus
Writer (Billboard), 2014For the 20th anniversary of Illmatic, I sat down with Nas to unpack the legacy of one of the greatest albums ever made. We skipped the nostalgia and got into the mindset behind the masterpiece. I found out why he's focused on the future more than his cherished classic.
Backstage With Drake
Writer (Complex), 2015The Canadian rapper beat the odds to become hip-hop's preeminent superstar. I spent a week between his home, industry parties, and backstage at his headlining Coachella set investigating the joy and pain of his success.
